County Courthouse Lantern Repairs Grab Residents’ and Visitors’ Attention

Historic buildings are always good candidates for repairs and restorations. In cities and towns across the country, you’ll find workers shoring up sagging floors, replacing peeling paint, and even beefing up the building’s structure. However, here in Murphy, NC, the Cherokee County Courthouse recently received a rather unusual type of facelift.

Courthouse Lantern Removal & Repair

On the morning of Thursday, January 12, two huge hydraulic cranes lumbered into action on Murphy’s Peachtree Street, just outside the courthouse. Managed by Cannon Roofing Company, the cranes had a highly challenging task: remove the super-heavy copper lantern from atop the courthouse’s large dome. The word “lantern” is an architectural term, in this case referring to the ornamental structure that has topped the Cherokee County Courthouse since its 1926 construction.

First, a crane operator gently lowered the lantern’s dome to the street. Once workers examined the dome, they found that it was only secured by one solder joint, where up to eight joints had originally held it in place. In other words, the dome could have given way at any time, crashing onto the pedestrians and court patrons below. What had caused the joints to work themselves loose? Most likely, the dome’s waving American flag, followed by a copper American eagle, had created sufficient windage to negatively affect the dome’s structural integrity.

Next, an even larger crane plucked the much taller lantern from atop the building’s dome, and brought it safely to the ground. Constructed of eight 10-foot-high hollow copper Greek columns, the metal lantern is certainly a grand-looking structure. However, it’s also the subject of a mystery: the lantern is chock full of rifle bullet holes.

Cherokee County Courthouse’s Colorful History
The lantern repair’s unusual nature is the latest chapter in the courthouse’s unconventional history. In fact, the current building is the latest in a series of structures, the first of which was supposedly burned by Federal troops during the Civil War. Two more courthouses suffered the same fate, with the last one falling victim to fire in 1924.

In 1926, Cherokee County commissioners approved construction of the current courthouse. Designed by James J. Baldwin, and built with a veneer of imposing Blue Marble from nearby Marble (of course), the two-story Neo-Classical Revival-style courthouse easily commands your attention. Inside, the ground floor is home to numerous offices, while the expansive second-floor courtroom features finely crafted woodwork and plaster furnishings.

However, the Cherokee County Courthouse’s most dramatic feature is the two-story cupola that soars high above the entrance pavilion. Above the cupola’s lower stage, you’d normally see a striking large domed roof, topped by the lantern and smaller dome. With the lantern and small dome missing, though, the building looks strangely out of proportion.

What’s Next for the Lantern Repair Project
Of course, getting the lantern on the ground was only half the battle. To safely contain the cumbersome structure, Cannon Roofing workers had constructed a massive wooden box, which arrived atop a flatbed truck. After workers buttoned up the lantern for transport, the truck headed for Andrews-Murphy Airport, where skilled craftsmen would perform repairs inside an aircraft hangar.

Not surprisingly, fixing the 91-year-old copper lantern will be quite expensive. The Cherokee County government will soon issue a request for repair estimates, which should be the subject of much discussion around town. After the lantern repairs have been completed, workers will carefully reattach the copper eagle to the dome. Fittingly, this symbol of American liberty and freedom will soon resume its watch over downtown Murphy, NC.

The Poltrock Team – REMAX Mountain Properties – Murphy NC – ilovemurphy.com – Call us Toll Free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team

 

Murphy, NC Historical Sites Beckon Modern Visitors

If you’re a confirmed North Carolina history buff, downtown Murphy, NC features several noteworthy historical sites, most of them just a stone’s throw from the town’s center square.

Cherokee County Courthouse

Let’s say you came downtown for some coffee and pastries from The Daily Grind; or maybe you just finished a tasty lunch at Shoebootie’s. To walk off those calories, and satisfy your appetite for history, stroll up Peachtree Street to the Cherokee County Courthouse. You can’t miss it – just look for the huge marble building on the corner, next to Smoky Mountain Shooters Supply.

This Courthouse was built entirely of blue marble from – you guessed it – the nearby Marble community. The current Courthouse opened for business in 1927, after a fire destroyed the supposedly fireproof brick courthouse the year before. If you enjoy tracking down National Register of Historic Places landmarks, the Cherokee County Courthouse has a spot on that coveted list.

Cherokee County Historical Museum

Just steps from the Courthouse, step into the Cherokee County Historical Museum. Inside this brick building, kids will enjoy shiny minerals and quartz crystals, plus colorful rubies and amethysts. They might also imagine using the early settlers’ tools to accomplish everyday household and farm chores.

Of course, the Cherokee Indians have been longtime residents here, on a huge expanse of farmland and forests called the Cherokee Nation. To honor their culture, the Museum showcases over 2,000 Cherokee Indian artifacts. Besides typical household items, you’ll see plenty of pottery, axes, pipes, game stones, and arrowheads.

As a side note, nearby Fort Butler served as a collection point for Cherokee Indians made to march on the “Trail of Tears” to Oklahoma. During 1837, over 3,000 Cherokees from North Carolina and Georgia passed through the fort before their long journey west. Look for the memorial monument on nearby Fort Butler Street.

Harshaw Chapel and Cemetery

Next, take a jaunt to Central and Church Streets, an easy hike in good walking shoes. Here, you’ll find historic Harshaw Chapel and Cemetery, both occupying spots on the National Register of Historic Places. Well-known Murphy resident Joshua Harshaw dedicated this brick chapel to the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1869, although its adjacent cemetery was in operation before that.

The Harshaw Chapel was actively used for about 60 years, but deteriorated after the First United Methodist Church was built to accommodate the area’s growing Methodist congregation. In 1965, the Daughters of the American Revolution (Archibald D. Murphey chapter) acquired the chapel, and they’ve maintained it since then. On certain occasions, you’ll find a special Methodist service or community event there. Now, this modest little chapel holds the title of the oldest church building in Cherokee County.

Murphy Public Library (Nantahala Public Library)

If you’re a genealogy fan, check out the Murphy, NC Public Library on Blumenthal Street (near the Courthouse on a side street). Many genealogists sing the praises of our Genealogy Room, containing some of the best resources in western North Carolina (and maybe even the state). While digging through the files, you just might discover a long-lost relative or colorful ancestor.

The Poltrock Team – REMAX Mountain Properties – Murphy NC – www.MyMurphy.com – Call us Toll Free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team