Salisbury Courthouse, Rowan County, NC 1855 Vintage Photo

This vintage photograph by Frances Benjamin Johnston features a historic courthouse located in Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina. Constructed in 1855, the building is characterized by its two-story field stone base, brick walls, and stuccoed columns. Originally, it featured a cupola with a clock and shutters secured by iron hasps. The wood roof construction is covered with tin, reflecting architectural practices of the mid-19th century.

The courthouse is significant not only for its architectural elements, such as the prominent portico and balconies, but also as part of the Carnegie Survey of the Architecture of the South, which aimed to document and preserve the regions historical buildings. This image is part of the Library of Congresss collection and has been referenced in Thomas Tileston Watermans The Early Architecture of North Carolina, published in 1941.

Frances Benjamin Johnston’s work contributes to the understanding of Southern architecture and provides insight into the historical context of public buildings in North Carolina.