EDITOR’S NOTE: Strangeville explores the curious and unexplained stories that have long defined Asheville and Western North Carolina. The region is full of unanswered questions, from old folklore and local legends to eerie encounters, unsolved moments in history, and the true-crime mysteries that still leave people wondering. Each week, we look back with an open mind and a sense of curiosity, trying to understand why some stories take hold and why some can never be explained.
BAKERSVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The Mitchell County Courthouse has watched more than a century of public life unfold in downtown Bakersville. Built in 1907, it served as the setting for trials, elections and everyday county business. It is also the source of one of Bakersville’s most persistent ghost stories, told by the very people who worked inside its walls.
The historic courthouse sits in the heart of the town’s small downtown district, its pale stone exterior and cupola making it one of the most recognizable buildings in Mitchell County.
For nearly a century, the courthouse served as the center of county government. In 2003, Mitchell County opened a new courthouse, moving court operations out of the historic building. Today, the old courthouse houses the county Board of Elections office, the Mitchell County Historical Society and the Rural Education Partnership.
Long before those offices moved in, courthouse employees shared unusual stories about the building.
According to accounts preserved by the Mitchell County Historical Society, workers and officials reported hearing unexplained sounds inside the courthouse after hours. Footsteps on the stairs, doors slamming in otherwise empty rooms and voices echoing through the building.
One of the most unusual experiences came from District Court Judge Bill Leavell. The judge once arrived at the courthouse alone on a Sunday afternoon when he heard a door slam somewhere inside the building. He checked the rooms and hallways but found no one there.
Another moment occurred during a court session. As Leavell was reading jury instructions, a voice suddenly called out “Objection.” The interruption echoed in the courtroom, causing the judge to stop and look around. No one had spoken.
The moment passed, but those present never found a clear explanation.
Other courthouse employees described hearing footsteps descending the building’s stairway late at night.
Former Sheriff Vernon Bishop recalled working inside the courthouse after hours. He heard footsteps moving down the stairs, as though someone were walking through the building. When he went to investigate, no one was there.
Another courthouse employee once reported seeing what appeared to be a man standing near a file cabinet in an office. When she looked again, the figure had vanished.
Like many older courthouses, the Mitchell County building witnessed decades of intense moments. Criminal trials, civil disputes and major county decisions unfolded inside its courtroom. Thousands of residents passed through its halls to settle legal matters or record life events.
Whether the unexplained sounds were simply the settling of an aging structure or something more mysterious is impossible to know.
Today the old courthouse remains a centerpiece of Bakersville’s downtown, where residents still walk past its doors as they have for generations.
The stories have become part of the building’s long history – reminders that even a courthouse dedicated to facts and evidence can leave room for a mystery or two.