A Crown Restored: Laurens County Unveils Its Historic Courthouse After Years of Meticulous Renovation

Nearly two centuries after its construction, the Laurens County Courthouse reclaimed its place as the crown jewel of the county square Friday afternoon, as officials, community members and project partners gathered to celebrate the completion of one of the most ambitious historic restoration projects in Upstate South Carolina in recent memory.

The ribbon cutting ceremony, emceed by S.C. Sen. Danny Verdin of District 9, drew a broad assembly of elected officials, engineers, architects, historians and preservationists to mark the restoration of the Greek Revival landmark, constructed in 1837-38 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Laurens District High School NJROTC presented the colors, and members of the Laurens County Chorale performed the national anthem.

A Long Time Coming

Council Chairman Jeffrey D. Carroll, who has served on council for the entirety of the project, called the occasion deeply personal.

“Our community is strong. Our future is bright. Our courthouse is magnificent,” Carroll said. “And once again, the courthouse is yours.”

Carroll noted the building’s central portion was completed in 1838, with additions in 1858 and 1911. The last major renovation work had been done in the early 1970s, and decades of deferred maintenance had taken a visible toll on the facade, the grounds and the foundation. In 2020, a capital penny sales tax referendum gave the county its first opportunity to address critical exterior and foundation issues, but Carroll was clear that the full scope of the restoration demanded more. Additional investment, supported by state grant funding secured through the county’s legislative delegation, made the complete revival possible.

“Zero investment will give you zero returns,” Carroll said. “And county council invested in the future of Laurens County by honoring the past and restoring the historic courthouse.”

Preservation Meets Public Service

County Administrator Jerre F. Threatt, who joined the county six months before the project’s completion, brought a unique perspective to his role overseeing the final stretch of the work. Threatt holds a master’s degree in historic preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design and a master’s degree in public administration from Clemson University, a combination that proved well suited to the demands of the project.

“The courthouse project allowed me to use both,” Threatt said.

Reflecting on watching the work come together, he left no doubt about the outcome.

“The courthouse is undoubtedly better today than it ever was,” Threatt said. “It’s a once-in-a-generation project that reflects an investment in our future, while tipping our hats to those who came before us.”

Threatt also cited Laurens County native Anne Pamela Cunningham, born in 1816, who went on to save George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon and became a founder of the American preservation movement. He noted she would have been 22 when the courthouse was built, and likely walked the very grounds where Friday’s crowd stood.

Built to Last

Lee Mashburn, CEO of Mashburn Construction, said the scope and complexity of the project demanded patience, precision and constant creative problem-solving from his entire on-site team over the course of more than three years. He also praised the collaborative partnership with Thomas and Hutton and the project’s engineering team.

“When you attack a project like this, you have to do it right,” Mashburn said. “There are so many details that had to be met in getting this building back to its historical significance and integrity.”

“Between our guys and Craig Gaulden Davis and the engineering team, they were solving problems constantly, figuring things out constantly,” Mashburn said. “I think you’ll see the final product when you get in there is really worth the wait.”

A Labor of Love

John Hansen of Craig Gaulden Davis Architecture, who said he first visited the courthouse square about 25 years ago after graduating from Clemson University, described the restoration as a labor of love from the moment his firm was chosen for the work.

“I’ve crawled up into the attic, which is an amazing structure,” Hansen said. “I studied the walls, the details, and what a beautiful piece of art that the forebears of this county created for all of you. To restore it, and bring it back to its glory, was truly a labor of love.”

Hansen praised county council for keeping the community’s interests at the center of every decision throughout the process.

“This building is about the citizens of Laurens. This is their house. We need to honor them in the work that’s done here,” Hansen said, echoing the charge council gave his team. “And the 200 years that will follow are only going to be brighter than this day.”

Vice Chairman Matthew Brownlee offered special acknowledgments, recognizing current and former council members, administrators and staff who contributed to the project across multiple administrations, along with the county’s legislative delegation for their support and state grant funding.

Verdin set the tone for the ceremony by reciting “God of Our Fathers,” connecting the courthouse restoration to the country’s ongoing 250th anniversary celebrations and the long arc of civic stewardship.

“Just like those who stood in our stead with a vision for the future,” Verdin said, “today we stand instead of those who will come and follow after us.”

Worth the Wait

Guided tours of the restored courthouse were available to the public following the ceremony, in conjunction with Main Street Laurens’ First Friday activities. Those who stepped inside for the first time since the restoration’s completion emerged visibly moved, many pausing to take in the woodwork, the monumental staircase and the ornate ceiling details that had been returned to their historic grandeur. For a community that has waited years for this moment, pride was the word of the day.