The name has changed, as has the building, but the legacy behind the Beaufort County Courthouse in Beaufort, SC endures. And thanks to recent renovations, which included the installation of a new zinc roof from IMETCO, the courthouse's rich history will most assuredly live on for another century or more.

The history of the courthouse and its site dates back to the 1770s and the construction of Barnwell Castle. The castle served as Beaufort's courthouse until the Civil War broke out but once Union troops captured the town, the building was converted first into a hospital for northern soldiers and then later a home to officers stationed there. When the war ended in 1865 it reverted back to being a courthouse and continued as one until it was destroyed by fire in the 1880s.

In 1883, the construction of a new federal district courthouse began on the Barnwell castle site, using the castle's original foundation walls. That's the building that stands there today, rising at the corner of Monson and Bay streets.

For the most recent renovation project, which included replacing the courthouse's roof, Glick Boehm Architecture of Charleston, SC turned to IMETCO. The Norcross, GA-based company's Series 300 standing seam system gave the architect the flexibility needed, and the longevity too, thanks to the availability of those panels in IMETCO's United Zinc substrate. The designer worked with IMETCO engineers to properly outfit the building with a system that will withstand the 135MPH wind zone where the building is located. 

Other design challenges included a 5 foot radius condition where 1.5mm zinc was utilized in order to allow for a perfect fit. Fraser Construction of Bluffton, SC handled the installation.