On the recordMay 18, 2010
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding and rise in support of H. Res. 1364, recognizing and remembering the Chatham County Courthouse in Pittsboro, North Carolina. At 4:15 p.m. on March 25 of this year, the upper portion of the courthouse caught fire. The blaze eventually destroyed much of the building, taking with it over 130 years of history and a source of pride and appreciation for Chatham County residents and visitors. The county the courthouse serves is divided between the Second and Fourth Congressional Districts, and I am pleased to join my colleague, Representative Bob Etheridge, and other North Carolina colleagues today in lamenting the serious damage to this landmark structure. The Chatham County Courthouse dates back to September 1, 1881, when members of the Columbus Lodge 102 laid its cornerstone at the historic town center of Pittsboro. The building, which is known for its two- story classical portico, topped by a three-stage cupola, was designed by Thomas B. Womack, following the passage of legislation in the North Carolina General Assembly to provide the county with construction bonds of up to $12,000. The building was completed less than 1 year later, on Independence Day of 1882, and has served ever since as a landmark to visitors and residents alike and a symbol of constancy to the broader community.…





