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…