Courthouse Fence (1861-1941)

Courthouse Fence (1861-1941). . , It is not known exactly when the fence was built but it is believed that it was constructed as a part of the courthouse construction before the beginning of the War Between the States in 1861., Caswell Court minutes show that it was completed before 1866 when the following action was recorded: "Ordered that H.F . Brandon be allowed to have charge of the enclosed grounds about the Court House and that for his service in taking care of the Public Grounds, he shall be entiled to what grass and hay he may make thereon." Source: Minutes of Caswell County Courts, July 1866, "The first steel fence around your courthouse was made and put up by this organization [i.e. Yarbrough's Foundry]. Many years later it was sent away for repairs and for some reason has never been returned." Source: Yarbrough's Foundry, a paper read before the Caswell County Historical Association, April 13, 1960 at Yanceyville, NC by Edwin S. Yarbrough, Durham, NC, now in the files of the Historical Association., Edwin Yarbrough's paper is a fascinating combination of family genealogy with portraits and a first-hand account of how his ancestors brought forth a sophisticated iron-working establishment in the swiftly-developing wilderness that was Caswell County in the early 1800s. It was from one of these developers, Henry M. Clay of Milton, that Richard P. Yarbrough of Lunenberg County, Virginia, bought his firstmill. Other family members participated in the expansion of their operations into the village of Yarbro between Miltion and Semora. Following forty years of prosperity, the family fortunes declined in the 1890s, and production ceased completely ca. 1903. When Edwin rediscovcred his roots in 1934 he found only scraps of metal in what had again become a wilderness. The Courthouse fence remained one of he more enduring relics of Yarbrough's Foundry until on August 2, 1941, a contract was given to J.T.Carer and Son, Inc., of Danville, VA to repair, restore and install the fence for $1,230. See notes on A.D. 2000 Caswell County Courthouse Calendar published Historical Association and Caswell Council for the Arts., Thus we know why it was taken away, but to date nobody knows what happened to it. The A.D. 2000 Courthouse Calendar for August shows the elaborate front gate offering shelter to a nationally publicized folkway, according to several cherished clippings of Post-Depression days. Caswell's officials and others frequenting the Courts would while away the uneventful hours by playing cards - not bridge or poker, just set-back and rook. This harmless play ended when the Sheriff was ordered by the county commisioners to stop all card playing both inside the courhouse and on the courthouse lawn. The card players' ire attracted the attention of LIFE magazine which published a fully illustated report of the last game., Courthouse Fence (1999-2000), In 1998 the Caswell Couny Commissioners authorized a $1.8 million dollar restoration of the Historic Courthouse and its use as County Offices again. This was the impetus for revitalization of the entire court square area, A major feature of this restoration was the reproduction of the original courthouse fence., The fence restoration project was funded entirely by citizens and friends of Caswell County through contribution to the Leadership Caswell County Alumni Asociation Fence Project under the dedicated efforrs of Sallie and Fred Smith, project chaimen, and the Fence Committee of the Caswell County Historical Association, Fred Smith, chair, Wally Ewalt, Bud Swann, Tom McPherson,and Billy Taylor. Caswell County's own Bud and Shelly Swann, talented blacksmith artisans, donated their time and talents to fabricate and install the courthouse fence. Their commitment to this project has added a new chapter to the history of the Historic Court Square and to Caswell County's heritage.