Courthouse Square

The newly-renovated Courthouse Square in Downtown Morganton is officially open (5/4/2022).

More than a year of construction saw the grounds completely revamped while maintaining as much historical integrity as possible. The old, dilapidated and condemned jail building that housed the Burke Arts Council was demolished, then crews got to work on transforming the face of Downtown Morganton.

Crews spent time doing extensive utility work to move utilities underground, and graded the grounds to make them more inviting and easier to access so the public can enjoy the grounds more often between events. Additionally, the rock wall around the square — which was beginning to fall down — was renovated using rocks from the original rock wall to be more structurally stable and give the wall a fresh look.

After work on the grounds and utilities was finished, construction on the new amphitheater stage got underway. The new stage provides a permanent venue for all types of live entertainment nestled among ample new green space on the Courthouse Square.

Several art installations and landscaping work put the finishing touches on the project. The backdrop of the stage itself is an art installation completed by Miki Iwasaki, a California-based artist hired with the help of the North Carolina Arts Council. Morganton’s Community Mandala, created by City of Morganton Project Designer Michael Berley, sits near the true north meridian line on the square. Three original jail doors from the old jail that housed the Burke Arts Council have been transformed into an art installation as a way to pay homage to what came before the project’s completion. Behind the stage, at the corner of E. Meeting St. and S. Sterling St., there is a bioretention cell, or rain garden, which is a naturally landscaped area that traps and treats stormwater.

The result of all of this work is a venue that is sure to be a regional attraction, as it combines progressive thinking, ample greenspace, public art, and an enjoyable location for anyone visiting Downtown Morganton.

The City of Morganton would like to thank its private partners who donated funds to aid in the completion of this project:

Huffman-Cornwell Foundation
Employees of Wall Lumber Company
Pepsi-Cola Bottling of Hickory
Burke County Board of Realtors
Case Farms
J. Michael and Charle S. Bridges
Charles M. Fulenwider
North Carolina Arts Council
Burke Arts Council
Burke County

Click on the links below to learn more about each feature of the new Courthouse Square!

If you would like to rent the Courthouse Square for your next event, please see the links included below to special event rules, guidelines, and application(s).

Features of the Courthouse Square

A group reads the bioretention cell wayside exhibit

Bioretention Cell and Mandala Wayfinding Exhibits

There are two wayside exhibits on the Courthouse Square: one for the Bioretention Cell at the corner of S. Sterling St. and E. Meeting St., and another for the Morganton Community Mandala int he center of the square. The wayside exhibits provide more details about these particular features of the square.

Jail Doors and Old Jail Building

The old jail was put in use in 1913. It had two floors, 1st floor was the office and jail, and the second floor was where the jailer lived. In 1940 the second floor burned. That portion was removed and the first floor kept as a jail until 1970 when the building was condemned.

Miki Iwasaki and his crew in front of Interweave

Stage Screen - "Interweave" by Miki Iwasaki

The back paneling of the new amphitheater stage is also an art installation, created by Miki Iwasaki. Read more about this piece in the excerpt from Iwasaki himself:

True North Meridian Stones

Original Meridian Stones were preserved during the entire redo of the Courthouse Square, they are now protected and highlighted by stones (the large square, then small square around the meridian markers). The new white granite stones were brought in from Mt. Airy and laid between the two stones to further highlight this now unusual site as there are very few left.

Restored Rock Wall

All of the low stone walls surrounding the square were repointed in order to hopefully extend their life, and other parts of the stone walls were reformed and restored using original stone from the rock wall around the square.

Each original stone was removed from the original wall, washed, and then put back into the new wall in a different configuration to make the wall sturdier and more aesthetically pleasing. With this type of restoration, the wall should last longer than the original — and still has the original stones!

Green Room

This room will be used for hospitality for our musicians performing during events on the Courthouse Square. It is an area for performers to relax, warm-up, change, or celebrate having a good show. Pictures from the construction process of the Courthouse Square hang on the wall, as well as each season's TGIF Poster.

Morganton Community Mandala on the Courthouse Square

Morganton's community mandala was first created in 2019, when Tibetan monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery visited Morganton and spent a week creating their own mandala at CoMMA. During the monks' stay, citizens were invited to use sand to make their own mandala. The design for the community mandala was created by City of Morganton Project Designer Michael Berley. Each geometric element represents our community, its history, and its culture. Read more about each element by clicking on the PDF below.

Web Links

Special Event Guidelines

Special Event Forms

Courthouse Square Addendum

Courthouse Square

Web Links

Contact Information

Upcoming Events