Buncombe County Courthouse - District#28

In 1791, David Vance and William Davidson presented to the North Carolina House of Commons a "petition of the inhabitants of that part of Burke County lying west of the Appalachian Mountains praying that a part of said county, and part of Rutherford County, be made into a separate and distinct county." The original bill to create the county gave as its name "Union." The name was changed, however, to Buncombe in honor of Col. Edward Buncombe, a Revolutionary War hero from Tyrell County. The Buncombe bill was ratified on January 14, 1792. The new county included most of Western North Carolina and was so large it was commonly referred to it as the "State of Buncombe."

The original Courthouse was constructed in 1876 in Pack Square and was replaced in 1903. The current courthouse was constructed in 1928. Today, the Buncombe County Courthouse is home to the Court system. As many as 3,500 citizens visit the Courthouse everyday.

Historic Courthouse Photos