...WELCOME
New American citizens took the Oath of Allegiance on Thursday, Sept. 17, in a courthouse that has stood since before the United States declared its independence.
The naturalization ceremony was held at the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse. U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle administered the oath and later presented certificates to the new citizens, according to the event program.
The Albemarle Chorale performed the national anthem. Members of the John A. Holmes High School JROTC posted and retired the colors, while Beth Taylor, representing the Daughters of the American Revolution, offered welcoming remarks.
For those taking the oath, the ceremony marked the final step toward U.S. citizenship. For Edenton, its setting gave that moment a connection to the nation’s beginnings: The courthouse was already standing when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.
The program closed with congratulations to the new citizens of the United States.
