The Morganton Main Street Program has worked since 1996 to bring about the renovations of the Historic Burke County Courthouse Square. It has been acknowledged and recommended in two downtown Masterplans, in 1997 and 2018, as a priority for the community. Finally, in 2020, the Mayor and City Council unanimously and enthusiastically awarded the contract for the project to Wilkie Construction, and made the loan request for the renovation of the Historic Burke County Courthouse Grounds. When completed, the citizens of Morganton and Burke County will have an amphitheater, all new sidewalks and steps, improved landscaping and a much-needed repaired historic stone wall — all of which should stand strong for at least another 50 years. It is the Main Street Program’s hope that when completed, the renovations will honor the stature of the Historic Courthouse, modernize the infrastructure, pay homage to the great women who saw to it that a stone wall of substance surrounded the grounds, and be a welcoming symbol of our community by continuing its heritage of being “The Place” to gather for our citizens and visitors.

Renovations to the Historic Burke County Courthouse Square began the week of September 14, as contractors completed demolition of the Jailhouse Gallery.
In order for contractors to work freely, and to keep citizens safe when they are near the construction site, a fence has been placed around the entirety of the Courthouse Square. The fence will remain in place for the duration of the project, which is expected to be complete by summer 2021.

March Update

The amphitheatre is taking shape on the Courthouse Square, with rock wall renovations nearing completion. Contractors are building a rock wall facade on the walls of the amphitheatre to pay homage to the rock wall motif that has always surrounded the square. Contractors estimate they are on schedule to complete the amphitheatre construction by the project’s original deadline, but landscaping work is 30 days behind schedule due to heavy and frequent rains the past several months. Stay tuned for more updates about when the square will be finished! You can find several photos of recent progress and a timeline of developments below:

• Monday 3/1 Grading, and Layout for site walls.
  Rock Masons continue new wall masonry.
  Tuesday 3/2 Grading, and electrical Utilities continue. Excess soil being hauled away from site.
  Wednesday 3/3 Painters continue work on structural steel.
  Concrete walls touched up inside.
  Thursday 3/4 Rock Masonry continues.
  Friday 3/5 Electrical Utility work continue, remaining site retaining wall footings in process
  Monday 3/8 Building Rough in Electric continued, Wilkie continues building site retaining walls and has taken over wall drainage and backfill in some areas.
  Rock Masons continue new wall masonry.
  Tuesday 3/9 Framing started. HVAC Rough in and Electrical work on building continue.
  Wednesday 3/3 Rock work continues as well as Electric and HVAC
  Thursday 3/11 Rock Masonry continues, framing and electric/ HVAC work continues.
  Wilkie was instructed by Mike Crotts that a chase would be needed to hide piping in the Men’s Restroom to hide exposed runs of pipe.
  Plumbing rough in continues.
  Painters continue painting exposed steel.
  Wilkie again had some wall backfill and drainage for grading contractors.
  Friday 3/12 Waterproofing stage and front wall face.
  Saturday 3/13 Water line work continues

TGIF Update

While the Courthouse Square is under construction, the TGIF Summer Concert Series is on hold. Expect a full series lineup in 2022 with some smaller, socially-distanced events planned in late-summer/early-fall of 2021. More details coming in April.