Wilkes County is named for John Wilkes, who was an English radical, journalist and politician.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Ashe County, Alleghany County and Surry County
E – Surry County and Yadkin County
S – Iredell County, Alexander County and Caldwell County
W – Caldwell County, Watauga County and Ashe County
Created: November 15, 1777 
County Seat:
Wilkesboro 1777 – present
Old County Courthouse – Wilkesboro
Location: 100 East Main Street / North Bridge Street
Built: 1902 – 1903
Style: Neo-Classical Revival
Architect: Wheeler & Runge of Charlotte and James M McMichael of Wheeler, McMichael and Company
Contractor: L W Cooper and Company of Charlotte
Description: The building faces south and is a three story white colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Wilkesboro. The south font has a portico with four tall white colored columns rising to a pediment. The third story is recessed with a smaller section above having three round windows and a curved roof. The building is now the Wilkes County Heritage Museum.
See: The courthouse is very similar in appearance to the old courthouses in Ashe County, Avery County, Iredell County, Randolph County and Stokes County.
County Courthouse – Wilkesboro
Location: 500 Courthouse Drive / South Bridge Street
Built: 2000 – 2001
Style: Neo-Classical Revival
Architect: CBSA Architects of Hickory
Contractor: James R Vannoy and Sons Const. Inc. of Ashe County
Description: The building faces west and is a two story gray stone, concrete and glass structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds on the south side of the center of Wilkesboro. The west front has a semi-circular section with open square sections. The roof line is flat. The building houses the County Superior Court and County District Court of the 23rd Judicial District.
See: The 23rd Judicial District includes Alleghany County, Ashe County and Yadkin County.
History: The county was created in 1777 and Wilkesboro was selected as the county seat. The first court met at the home of John Brown in 1778. The court moved to the Mulberry Fields Meeting House and the first courthouse was a log structure built at Mulberry Fields ( Wilkesboro ) in 1779. The second courthouse was built in 1830. The third courthouse was constructed in 1902 to 1903 and is still standing. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 2000 to 2001.
Old County Courthouse – Wilkesboro
County Courthouse – Wilkesboro
Photos taken 2012
Images 13