Officially formed in 1777 from the northeastern portion of Pasquotank County, Camden was named for Charles Pratt, 1st Earl of Camden, a British politician who opposed the Stamp Act and supported colonial resistance. That symbolic gesture--honoring a British ally of American independence--set the tone for a county that would contribute significantly to the Revolutionary War, with over 400 local men serving in the conflict.
The original courthouse--a modest wooden structure--was built in 1782, just five years after Camden County itself was carved from Pasquotank County. That first building stood as a symbol of civic order in a newly independent America, but it was tragically destroyed by fire in the mid-1800s. In 1847, the current red-brick Greek Revival structure was completed on the same site. Its architectural features include a stately portico supported by four massive columns resting on brick piers, a hallmark of the Greek Revival style that was popular in civic architecture of the time.
The building has been updated and remodeled a number of times since then, to incorporate a new courtroom, updated facilities and to include HVAC. All of these expansions compliment the original brickwork and preserve the original character of this historic structure.
The heritage museum and the historic jail are adjacent and open for tours.
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