The Chowan County Courthouse was completed in 1767 and is the oldest courthouse still in active use…read morein North Carolina. The courthouse's design is attributed either to John Hawks, architect of Tryon Palace in New Bern, or Gilbert Leigh, a local builder. It features a T-shaped layout with Flemish bond brickwork, a central courtroom, and a second-floor assembly room often referred to as a ballroom. The building has a two-stage wooden cupola with a weathervane atop the structure, reflecting classical British architectural influences. During the Revolutionary era, the courthouse was a hub of political and legal activity. Figures such as Joseph Hewes (a signer of the Declaration of Independence), James Iredell (later a U.S. Supreme Court Justice), and Samuel Johnston (Governor and U.S. Senator) practiced law and held meetings there. It is one of the most impressive buildings in Edenton and well worth a stop. [Review 838 of 2025 - 4268 in North Carolina - 24397 overall]

Tons of history in this building! Very cool to stand on original stone floors that were imported…read morefrom Britain. It's still an active courtroom and we learned that the NC Supreme Court holds court here once in a while. You can walk around freely and sit in the judge's seat which was a cool experience. The guided tour with Lucas was fun and informative.

So let me first start with apologizing for not having any photos to go with this, but it is frowned…read moreupon to have a camera on in the courtroom :) however, with that out of the way I want to take a moment to give my pros and cons on this location. I have had to visit the courthouse more often than expected in the last few months, but I have had a relatively good experience each time. The staff is very friendly, but I do think they could improve s few things. The courthouse has very minimal signage to help navigate which if you're like me, I don't make it a regular visit to go the court so I was turned around many times. At first, I was given 3 different floors to find my room, but finally found it on my own in the basement. The rooms didn't have a list of people assigned which made it more difficult and the parking is a few blocks away, but again not marked well. I don't mind walking except when it's cold and pouring rain outside. Unfortunately that was both times I had to come. I do praise how clean they keep the inside and outside and the bathrooms as well! I also love that the bathrooms are individual vs having many stalls. Overall, I am happy with my experience but the few things that could be worked on would be better parking, staff more knowledgable of layout and signage to help find your way inside.

Pretty awesome today as I was able to not only tour the exterior but one of the sheriff's deputies…read moregave me a brief personal tour of the interior and one of the courtrooms. After passing through the magnetometer, of course. Designed by architect Albert L. West and built between 1882 and 1883, the courthouse has a Classical Revival architecture. It is notable for its red brick façade and symmetrical proportions. The most striking features include a central tower with a working clock and columned portico. Elizabeth City wasn't always the seat of Pasquotank County. From the 18th century onward, the seat moved from Brook Field to Relfe's Point, then Winfield, Nixonton, and finally Elizabeth Town in 1800 which was renamed to Elizabeth City. [Review 878 of 2025 - 4303 in North Carolina - 24435 overall]

Amazing was still open at 5:00 pm and they helped me other dmv close 30 min early so I rushed here…read morelast minute but they were still nice to me

This is a very clean place. Signs make it easier to choose between business or property taxes…read more There's a parking lot across the street if the front lot is full.

Ok so it's a small town court house and yes it's a speed trap town but please don't get mad at them…read morefor enforcing the speed laws, you was speeding just like my son was lol can't get mad because out of all the time u got away with it and get caught once and have to waste a whole day to go there and deal with it, but the reason for the 4 is because it was a very fast process and far one the only thing I did not like was that they don't say anything about dress code my son was fine he always dressed to impress I was wearing dress shorts and they did not let me in the court house and there was a lot of people that had to go a buy pants or shirt women and men , but the courts officer at the door did say u can run to Walmart and buy some and come back took only about 25 extra minutes

Came to the magistrate to get an An Emergency Custody Order (ECO) for my 17 year old son. In…read moreVirginia it's a legal mechanism allowing law enforcement to take a person into custody for up to 8 hours for a mandatory mental health evaluation if they pose a danger to themselves or others due to mental illness. He was finally able to get the help he needed thanks to them and he was not only diagnosed with Bipolar 1 but he also has high functioning autism, ADHD, and ODD. If it wasn't for the magistrate he would have never agreed to get checked out and things would still be bad. He is now on the path to recovery. Thank You So Much for your help! Without you, who knows what the outcome would have Been.

Went in for a marriage license. When we walk in the front door i greet the officer and ask, " is…read morethis where we apply for a marriage license?" He doesnt answer the question but abruptly asks me do I have a cell phone. Talk about poor people skills! But after dealing with the sentry staff everyone else was happy to assist. But first impressions go a long way.

Craven County is named for William Craven, who was the 1st Earl of Craven and was a Lord Proprietor…read moreof colonial North Carolina. This building is the main courthouse and houses the County Superior Court and the County District Court of the 3rd Judicial District. The rectangular-shaped red-brick building is two stories and faces east. There is a tall square tower with an entrance on the ground floor with a steep roof that rises above the roof line on the east front. At the north and south extremities are one story arched porticos, while the second story windows are arched. The structure's roof is mansard-shaped. The first story's interior has a cross hall layout with a central hallway. The second-story courtroom takes up the entire width of the structure. Street parking and a dedicated lot are nearby. [Review 18899 overall - 3383 in North Carolina - 2422 of 2022.]

When I spotted this tall granite obelisk on the grounds of the Lenoir County Courthouse, I fully…read moreexpected that it was going to be another memorial to the Confederate soldiers from this area who served in the Civil War. But it's not that! Instead, this marker memorialized North Carolina's first (and fifth) governor! Richard Caswell was born near Baltimore Maryland and was a surveyor and lawyer then served in the Continental Congress. He was president of the provincial congress that drafted North Carolina's first constitution in 1776, and he took the oath of office as the State's first governor in 1777. The original monument was erected at the intersection of Queen and Caswell Streets in 1881. It was damaged by fire in 1895 and replaced in 1908. In 1929 the Daughters of the American Revolution erected an iron fence around the monument. And in 1934 the second monument was damaged in street paving and subsequently removed to the city landfill. Sections of the monument were subsequently recovered and reassembled, and today the monument sits in front of the Lenoir County Courthouse. The marker is inscribed as follows: Front: Richard Caswell, / their first Governor / under a free Con- / stitution. / Called to / the head of af- / fairs in North Caro- / lina in the struggle with Great / Britain for Independence, he gave / himself up to the service of his country / without stint and without compensation. Side: Born August 3d, 1729, / Died 10th of November, 1789; / An accomplished surveyor, and able / lawyer, a skillful financier, a successful / soldier, a profound statesman, a devoted / patriot and an honest man - the an- / nals of North Carolina for forty years attest his virtue, his /capacity and his services. Side: Deputy Surveyor of the Colony, Member / of the Colonial Assembly, Colonel of / the Colonial Forces, Member of the / Provincial Congresses, Delegate to / the Continental Congress, Pub- / lic Treasurer, Colonel of the / Revolutionary Forces, Brig- / adier-General, President / of the Congress that / framed the first State / Constitution, four / times elected / Governor of / North Carolina, / Comptroller Gen- / eral, elected Delegate / to the Convention to / frame the Federal Constitution, Member of the / State Convention to ratify the / Federal Constitution. Awesome stuff! [Review 15478 overall, 982 of 2021, number 3021 in North Carolina.]

The Barker House in Edenton, North Carolina, is a storied landmark that blends architectural…read moreelegance with deep historical resonance. Built in 1782 for Thomas and Penelope Barker, the home originally stood two blocks north of its current location and began as a modest Federal-style parlor wing and half hall. Penelope Barker is best known for organizing the Edenton Tea Party in 1774, a bold act of protest in which 51 women signed a petition against British taxation--making it one of the earliest political demonstrations by women in America. Unlike the Boston Tea Party, these women signed their names and sent the petition directly to King George III, drawing international attention and criticism from British newspapers. Since relocated (yes, they moved it two blocks), it now serves as Edenton's Welcome Center and the headquarters of the Edenton Historical Commission. Stop in for information about Edenton sights and history. I wasn't staying long here, but I was helped by friendly folks who clearly love their town. [Review 839 of 2025 - 4269 in North Carolina - 24398 overall]

We were greeted by an excellent curator that provided us a very warm Welcome into the Barker House…read more The house is a beautiful step back in time with period antiques and a very nice gift shop. I purchased a Tea House cookbook and was amazed by the recipes along with beautiful historical notes of the area. You must stop in while visiting Edenton!

I have called Chesapeake home for over 40 years and in all of that time, I've never found a better…read moreplace to live, raise a family or to call my home. Taxes are a necessary part of life but the City of Chesapeake has been a good steward of our tax dollars over the years. They provide us with the essential services that we need and they have a great track record of educating our children. The police and fire departments are consistently ranked among the best in the country.

NOTE: This review is for the City Clerk's Office/Passport Application Processing office located at…read moreCity Hall of Chesapeake. I was at City Hall this week for an appointment, and while I was waiting, I was chatting it up with the friendly security guard and we got on the topic of passports, as I needed some for my children. He informed me that I could go up to the first floor at the City Clerk's Office to obtain an appointment. I remembered this from last year when I had to obtain one to go back home to Canada, that it was appointment only based, but I remembered the office being at least 4 months out. I ended up walking in at the Norfolk courthouse because I needed it ASAP (only place in the area who processes passport applications in person, on a walk in basis FYI). I was expressing my dread of potentially finding out how far out the appointments were, but with his encouragement, I went up to the first floor to ask. Plus, it's way more convenient for me to process them at City Hall in Chesapeake than in Norfolk. With parking, tight security and the lack of patience of children, City Hall in Chesapeake was a better option for me. Lo and behold, the nice lady told me that they had one in the coming days!! *Things to note (info current as of June 15/23)* - appointment only, no walk-ins - appointments can be made by calling the City Clerk's office (located on the 1st floor) at 757-382-6151 - appointment slots are available on Mondays from 9:00 am - 11:30 am & Thursdays from 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm ONLY - for your appointment, present yourself at the little office in the corner on the left hand side of the security desk on the ground floor. Top flap of the door will be open if they are open to process applications - if you are applying for minors, BOTH parents and/or all guardians must be present. If one parent cannot be present, you must obtain some other letter/form that must be notarized - for the actual application fees, you must have a cheque or money order (US Dept of State) - you can pay the processing fees by either cheque or card (City of Chesapeake) - all card transactions will be charged a 2.2% transaction processing fee - as of this writing, the processing time for the passport is 10-13 weeks for regular processing and 7-9 weeks for expedited (obvi with extra fee). The clerk let me know that the processing center has been especially busy this year with more and more people coming out of the pandemic funk and the eagerness to travel again. - come prepared with your documents filled out in advance (you can either fill it out online and print) or they do have paper applications right by the processing office - unlike the Norfolk office, they do not provide photos here, so be sure to obtain those in advance at your nearest pharmacy. We got them done at Walgreens on Hanbury - just an FYI, in case you didn't know, but this is very stressful for me, but they take the original document of the individual (especially if it's your first passport). They took my ORIGINAL citizenship certificate last year and it didn't come for weeks until after my passport arrived solo. Very nerve wracking too, just waiting....my citizenship certificate eventually showed up in a FedEx envelope, with no note, nothing. Just the certificate all by its lonesome. After losing a small fortune on 3 passport applications (my husband decided to get his done too since his had been expired also), processing fees and the photos, the clerk processed them quickly and efficiently. So now we wait. Not sure where we'll end up, but at least we'll be ready to go, once we receive their passports... HUGE shout out to the security guard for the recommendation and encouragement, and to the clerk for being so kind in trying her hardest to find an appointment that best suited our schedule and circumstance. She ended up being the one to process the applications a few days later. She set me up for success from the get go (she had provided me a small paper with a list of all the reqs and docs I needed at the time of making my appointment). They were both so nice, friendly and so helpful! If you live in Chesapeake and you need a passport, go to City Hall! But think ahead and make that appointment now! Stay safe, Friends, and safe travels!