The historic Orange County Courthouse (built 1844-46) is widely recognized as one of the finest and best-preserved Greek Revival-style courthouses in the state. The handsome brick structure with its prominent original clock tower is the undisputed centerpiece of Hillsborough's historic district. Its hillside site, consisting of a full block, has a long and significant history, beginning with the construction of the county's first courthouse on this site in 1757. A second courthouse dating to 1790 was built there, as were two jail buildings and the office for the Town's mayor. The first courthouse and its\ surrounding grounds figured prominently in North Carolina's history as the setting for numerous events leading up to the Regulator conflicts between 1768 and 1771. The courthouse is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places, along with the surrounding grounds. The existing landscaping, plantings, and pedestrian amenities on the Old Courthouse Square are the products of several civic improvement projects, beginning with work done by the WPA during the 1930s when old stones from the walls of the 1837 jail building were repurposed to create the present network of attractive but uneven stone paved sidewalks and steps, which are proving to be hazardous to pedestrians. Current issues include accessibility, lighting, drainage, inappropriate/oversized site plantings, and an absence of public seating. The square also lacks any wayfinding signage or interpretive panels to provide information about the important and complex role this site played in local and state history. The historic courthouse was last renovated and repaired in 1985 when extensive work was carried out in many areas to address structural issues, as well as to make significant improvements to accessibility by providing elevator access, a new internal fire stair, and two small accessible restrooms on the second floor adjacent to the courtroom. In 2017, the courthouse square was the subject of an archaeological survey and research project that included a thorough survey using ground-penetrating radar. This resulted in a detailed historical research report that will be made available to interested firms. Interested firms are invited to submit any written questions they may have relating to this project. All questions must be submitted via email, with the aforementioned subject line heading, to Angel Barnes, by September 13, 2024. The County reserves the right to enter into one or more contracts with any firm selected under this RFQ process
.webp)
