The original Stanly County Court House, shown in this drawing by Joyce Lambert, was built in the early 1840s. It was first located in the middle of what was then a public square and is now the intersection of Second Street and Main Street. Several decades later it was moved to the northwest corner of the square but the reasons for the move have been unclear. A possible explanation appeared in the “Guide to the Old North State” that was published by the Works Progress Administration in 1939. According to the story “the first courthouse was built on the intersection of the two main streets but was later moved to a corner lot” of the square. The story continues that this was done “because various young bloods had attempted to drive their horses and buggies up the courthouse steps.” Local historian Catherine Pickler once shared that my great-great-grandfather was known to have ridden a horse up the courthouse steps. Maybe he was one of these “young bloods” who contributed to the reason for the move. {Lewis Bramlett – Stanly County Historical Society}