Alexander County is named for William J Alexander, who was a member of the legislature and Speaker of the North Carolina House of Commons. Alexander County was formed in 1847, carved from parts of Caldwell, Iredell, and Wilkes counties. Taylorsville became the county seat that same year, and the first courthouse was built in 1848 on the present site. A more substantial two-story courthouse replaced the original in 1902 but it was destroyed by fire in 1967.
The current courthouse, completed between 1968 and 1970, is a two-story concrete structure in a restrained Modernist style. The building is rectangular, with a flat roof and a slightly raised central section.
While the architecture is utilitarian, the courthouse grounds add layers of civic memory. In addition to the Confederate monument, the square includes a cannon and several veteran memorials, reinforcing the site's role as a focal point for public remembrance.
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