Location: 72 Monument Place / Judicial Place
Built: 1850 – 1851 / 1900 – 1901
Style: Queen Anne and Colonial Revival
Architect: John Donohoo / Bartholomew Smith
Contractor: John Donohoo / B F Smith Fireproofing Company
Description: The building faces east and is a two story white colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Heathsville. The building has a raised basement. The east front has a wide porch supported by four sets of double columns rising to a balcony on the second story. The first and second story entrances are arched. On the roof is a central dormer with a small window. Plain pilasters define the corners of the building, and the eaves are embellished with a heavy wooden cornice with oversized modillions. The roof is hipped. In the interior, the building is bisected by a central passage leading to offices on the main story. A handsome plaster ceiling medallion probably dating to 1851 remains in the central passage. The second story accommodates the courtroom and a broad lobby. The old courtroom has walls which are lined with old tablets listing the names of many early county leaders. The building was remodeled in 1900 to 1901. The architect was Bartholomew Smith and the contractor was B F Smith Fireproofing Company. The annexes on the north and south sides of the building were built in 1964 and 1974. The building houses the county administration.
History: The county was created in 1648 and Heathsville, then called Northumberland Court House until 1798, became the county seat in 1680. The first courthouse was built in 1660 to 1663 in the Hull Neck area. In 1679, the courthouse was moved to Coan along the Coan River near Heathsville. The second courthouse was a plain framed structure with plaster interior designed and built by John Huglett in Heathsville in 1680 to 1681. The third courthouse was a brick structure built by Joseph Humphryes in 1703 to 1706. The fourth and present courthouse was built in 1850 to 1851 and substantially remodeled in 1900 to 1901. The County Courts Building was constructed in 1996 to 1997.
SOURCE: courthouses.co