Wilkesboro is the county seat of
Wilkes County. A Moravian surveying party passed through
the area in 1752, and documented that a Cherokee Indian
village stood in the old fields. The Cherokee translation
for Mulberry Fields is "Keowee". Keowee was
often used by the Cherokees as a place name during the
Colonial Period.
The act establishing Wilkes County stated that the first
court would be held at the home of John Brown located
at the bend of the Yadkin River on the second day of March
1778.
Commissioners were named to select a place centrally
located for the erection of a courthouse, prison and stocks.
On June 2, 1778, Mulberry Field Meeting House was chosen
to serve as the courthouse.
During the Revolutionary War, the
Mulberry Fields area was a common mustering site for the
Wilkes County Militia. The Mulberry Meeting House was
a common meeting place to discuss local government issues
of the day.
In 1795 an act was passed naming
new commissioners to purchase fifty acres of land on which
to lay out a town and erect public buildings. Mulberry
Fields became Wilkesboro in 1800 when the town was laid
out by William Lenoir. Lenoir refused to allow the town
to be named after himself. Later, following his death,
the next town up the road was named for Lenoir.
Wilkes County has a rich and varied
history involving the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. You
may select a topic of interest below to take our Virtual
History Tour, and view all of our current historical information.
Be sure to check back often for updates.
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