Historic Edenton Receives $750,000 Semiquincentennial Grant from National Park Service

The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources will receive $750,000 to replace the roof of the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse at Historic Edenton State Historic Site. The project is being supported in part by a Semiquincentennial Grant from the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service.

The 1767 Courthouse was declared a National Historic Landmark and placed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 15, 1970, due to its role as a meeting place for patriot rebels during the American Revolutionary War. Many architectural historians consider the courthouse to be the finest Georgian courthouse in the South and one of the most important public buildings in colonial America. It is still used today for public events, proceedings and ceremonies. This historic structure has endured centuries of inclement weather and despite its more than 250-year use, the courthouse has seen only relatively modest restoration.

The grant will fund a new, historically accurate roof that will protect this national treasure for decades while also providing a stable interior environment, safeguarding the structure and the colonial-era artifacts inside. The replacement of the roof also ensures that the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse continues to serve as an active community hub.

"The significance of the 1767 Courthouse to the people of Edenton and as a touchstone of North Carolina history cannot be overstated," said Michelle Lanier, director of North Carolina Historic Sites. "We are grateful to the National Park Service for this grant, which recognizes that the continued preservation of this structure is vital to the story of our state and nation, in the Revolutionary period and beyond."

The Semiquincentennial Grant Program supports the preservation of a broad variety of cultural resources associated with the founding of America as a nation in commemoration of the country's 250th anniversary of the American Revolutionary War in 2026. The source of the NPS funding is Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas lease revenue.

About Historic Edenton State Historic Site
Historic Edenton is a North Carolina State Historic Site that offers a variety of tours that explore the historic district of Edenton, N.C. The site includes the Historic Edenton Visitor Center, the 1800/1827 James Iredell House, the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse, and the 1886 Roanoke River Lighthouse. The site is located at 108 N. Broad St. Edenton, N.C. 27932. For more information, visit https://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/historic-edenton or call (252) 632-5020.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina - its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.