Anne B. Jennings painted this lovely rendition of the old Currituck Courthouse from a photo that was taken in 1928.

     Col. Fred A. Olds says: The General Assembly in 1722 made provision for what must have been the first courthouse in the county: to be on the land of William Payton or William Parker, as the justices might choose, the lands adjoining each other.  It was ordered that the courthouse not be less than 24 by 16 feet in size.
     In 1723 Robert Payton got the contract for a wood building 30 by 18 feet but failed to finish it and was sued.
     At that time Currituck County was considered a part of Virginia.  Records found in Richmond show the old performance bond which reads:
     "Know all men by these presents that I, Robert Peyton, of the precinct of Coratuck, in the County of Albemarle, and in ye province of Carolina, do owe and stand justly indebted to ye precinct Court of Coratuck, their heirs and successors, in the full and just sum of 140 pounds, good and lawful money of this province, to which payment will well and truly be made, and I bind myself, my heirs, executors, administrators, etc., to the said precinct court.  Sealed with my seal and dated this 22 day of April, 1723."
     Specifications called for the 30 by 18 foot building " fashionable framed work" standing upon cedar blocks.  The roof was to be covered with cypress shingles, the sides and ends with 12-foot boards.  Twelve feet of the floor was to be elevated "2 feet from ye grounde by planke", providing space for the judge's bench, chair, and clerk's table.  The upper floor of the building was to be planed smooth and there were to be "stares from flow to flow".
     Thomas Davis was Justice of Coratuck Precinct at that time.
     Former Representative, E.R. Johnson, has said that an old wooden building, said to have been the courthouse, stood about where Henry Snowden's Store now stands.
     It was quite a sizeable building.
     The present brick building was completed and all the records moved across the road to the new courthouse and the old courthouse became a dwelling, and was burned sometime later, along with the whole block on that side of the road.