Old County Courthouse
Old County Courthouse is a building in Plymouth, Massachusetts, listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 23, 1972.
Plan your visit
- Access
- Access information not verified
Last checked October 31, 2026 - Location
- Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts
National Register listing does not mean a place is open to the public. Parking and accessibility are shown only when verified.
History
The Old County Courthouse (also known as the Plymouth Old County Courthouse or the Old Town House) is an historic court house on Leyden Street and Market Street in the Town Square of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Built in 1749, the two-story wood-frame building is believed to be the oldest wooden courthouse in the United States; it stands on the site of the first courthouse built by Plymouth Colony settlers, and may incorporate elements of a 1670 building. The site was originally the site of Edward Winslow's first house in Plymouth.
It is five bays wide and three deep, with a center entry flanked by sidelight windows and pilasters, and topped by a gabled pediment. It was built by Peter Oliver, and initially served as both a courthouse and as town offices. It was converted to solely municipal use in 1821, and had a myriad of municipal functions since then. In the 1970s it was converted into a museum.
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. It is now known as the 1749 Court House and Museum, and is open from June to September with exhibits of early Plymouth history.
Excerpt from the Wikipedia article, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. The official nomination form is linked under Sources.
Other listings in Plymouth
- Howland, Jabez, House Building · listed 1974
- MAYFLOWER II (square-rigged sailing ship) Structure · listed 2020
- Parting Ways Archeological District District · listed 1979
- Pilgrim Hall Building · listed 1972
- Plymouth Rock Object · listed 1970
- Town Brook Historic and Archeological District District · listed 1995
- Bartlett-Russell-Hedge House Building · listed 1976
- Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church and Parsonage Building · listed 2007
- Bradford-Union Street Historic District District · listed 1983
- Clifford-Warren House Building · listed 1980
- Cole's Hill Site · listed 1966
- Duxbury Pier Light Structure · listed 2014
- First Parish Church of Plymouth Building · listed 2014
- Harlow Old Fort House Building · listed 1974
- Harlow, Sgt. William, Family Homestead Building · listed 1982
Nearby historic places
- Plymouth Light Station Duxbury, MA · about 5 mi
- Alden, John and Priscilla, Family Sites Duxbury, MA · about 6 mi
- Webster, Daniel, Law Office and Library Marshfield, MA · about 8 mi
- Thomas-Webster Estate Marshfield, MA · about 9 mi
- South Middleborough Historic District Middleborough, MA · about 12 mi
- Tremont Nail Factory District Wareham, MA · about 13 mi