Granville County will soon be marking a milestone as the 275th anniversary will be observed in 2021. Formed in 1746, Granville County was established thirty years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence and was named in honor of the second Earl of Granville, Lord John Carteret. King George II had given most of the land that is present-day Granville County to Carteret as part of the Granville Grant in the 1660s.
A planning committee has been established by the Granville County Board of Commissioners to schedule activities, events and keepsakes to help celebrate this special occasion. Representatives of all five municipalities along with county officials, staff members, and volunteers comprise the Committee:
Chairing the Committee is Commissioner Sue Hinman, with Commissioner David Smith serving as Vice-Chair.
Other Committee members include: Helen Amis (Oxford), Janet Parrott (Stovall), Dave Pavlus (Stem), Emily Champion (Butner), Toni Ann Wheeler (Creedmoor), Commissioner Zelodis Jay (Oak Hill Community), Stephanie May (Granville County Historical Society Museum), Angela Allen (Granville County Tourism), Mark Pace (Granville County Library System), and Patrice Wilkerson and Lynn Allred (Granville County Administration).
Granville County’s 275th Anniversary Planning Committee announces that reservations are now being accepted for a commemorative book chronicling the county’s history, and that distinctive collector coins will soon be available to the public. These keepsake items are being introduced in observance of the County’s milestone anniversary in 2021.
Local author Lewis Bowling has been commissioned to produce the coffee-table style book , which is now in the publishing stages. Bowling has written several books featuring the history of his home county, including celebratory works for the City of Oxford’s bicentennial and for Camp Butner’s 75th anniversary. Written in Bowling’s familiar conversational style, the County’s 275th anniversary book will follow the development of the area from its early history to present day, and will include photos not yet seen by the public.
Pre-orders for the book are now being taken, with a $5.00 discount for those who reserve their copy by Dec. 31. Orders and payments may be made online through the Granville County Government website at www.granvillecounty.org. (Information about the 275th Anniversary can be located under the “Community” heading at the top of the page.) Those preferring to order and send payment by mail can complete an order form, which can be downloaded and/or printed from the website, to ensure early reservation. After Dec. 31, the book will be sold at the $49.95 price.
The collector-style coins will be available to the public in time for the holiday season. Measuring less than two inches in diameter, these heavyweight souvenirs will depict the full-color 275th Anniversary logo on the front and an engraved image of Granville County’s iconic courthouse on the flip side.
Coins will be available for purchase in mid-December for $5.00 each. Books are scheduled to arrive by July of 2021.
For more information on the book or the coin, or for a book reservation form, please see one of the above committee members or contact Patrice Wilkerson of the County Manager’s Office at 919-603-1308.