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Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
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Source:  Leonard Henderson, Henderson. Photo by Rusty Long

  • Monument Name

    Leonard Henderson Marker, Henderson

  • Type

    Plaque

    Marker

  • Subjects

    Historic Political Figures

    Local History

  • City

    Henderson

  • County

    Vance

  • Description

    Sponsored by the Old Bute Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution in Henderson, the memorial marker is a bronze plaque mounted on a small, natural boulder.

    Images: Bronze plaque | The memorial marker in front of the old courthouse building

  • Inscription

    THIS TABLET PLACED / IN MEMORY OF / LEONARD HENDERSON / CHIEF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA / FOR WHOM THE CITY OF / HENDERSON WAS NAMED / 1772 -- 1833 / BY / THE OLD BUTE CHAPTER / DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION / HENDERSON NORTH CAROLINA / 1931

  • Dedication Date

    June 11, 1931

  • Decade

    1930s

  • Geographic Coordinates

    36.328400 , -78.402310 View in Geobrowsemap pin

  • Supporting Sources

      Royster, Lucy B. 1988. "Henderson, Leonard," NCpedia.org, (accessed December 29, 2013) Link

      Winston, Robert W., and Clark, Walter. "Leonard Henderson: Address of Judge Robert W. Winston Presenting the Portrait of Chief Justice Henderson to the Supreme Court of North Carolina: Address of Acceptance by Chief Justice Walter Clark," (Raleigh, NC: 1908), (accessed May 29, 2012) Link

      “Unveil Marker to Chief Justice,” The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC), June 14, 1931

  • Public Site

    Yes

  • Materials & Techniques

    Stone, bronze plaque

  • Subject Notes

    Leonard Henderson was chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, sitting on the first session of the court which formed in 1818 when the North Carolina court system underwent change. He was a prominent lawyer and jurist, was elected to the North Carolina Council of State in 1802, and held a number of judicial appointments prior to being appointed to the Supreme Court. Henderson was born in the Nutbush community of Granville County, and the city of Henderson was named in his honor.

    [Additional information from NCpedia editors at the State Library of North Carolina: This person enslaved and owned other people. Many Black and African people, their descendants, and some others were enslaved in the United States until the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in 1865. It was common for wealthy landowners, entrepreneurs, politicians, institutions, and others to enslave people and use enslaved labor during this period. To read more about the enslavement and transportation of African people to North Carolina, visit https://aahc.nc.gov/programs/africa-carolina-0. To read more about slavery and its history in North Carolina, visit https://www.ncpedia.org/slavery. - Government and Heritage Library, 2023.]

  • Location

    The memorial marker is located in front of the old Vance County Courthouse to the right of the entrance. The building’s address is 122 Young Street in Henderson, NC. Further south along Young street are the Vance County Iraq War, Vance County Korean War, World War Two memorials, a “Rebel” firehouse dog memorial and time capsule.

  • Landscape

    The boulder with the memorial plaque sits on the lawn of the old Vance County Courthouse.

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