Charles City County Courthouse
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Why it's listed
Charles City County Court House is a one-story, T-shaped brick building at a country crossroads on the road between Williamsburg and Richmond. The county seat moved to this site around 1730, and the present courthouse is believed to date from the early 1730s, though Civil War losses of the court records leave the exact date uncertain. Its Flemish bond brickwork, rubbed and gauged brick details, modillion cornice and steep hipped tin roof survive. The brickwork resembles that at nearby Westover, leading experts to credit the same builder. The building was rifled during the Civil War and heavily altered afterward: the five-bay front arcade was enclosed, most window openings were lowered, and a porch was added. Even so, it is considered probably the most sophisticated surviving example of the small group of colonial courthouses with arcaded fronts. The grounds also hold a Confederate monument, a late nineteenth century clerk's office and a circa 1867 frame jail. The county seat has never been commercially developed.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is probably the most sophisticated surviving example of the small group of colonial courthouses with arcaded fronts. Its brickwork resembles that of nearby Westover, suggesting the same builder. The county seat has never been commercially developed, so the courthouse keeps its isolated crossroads setting.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 69000335, listed November 12, 1969. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | VA 5, Charles City |
|---|---|
| County | Charles City County |
| Listed | November 12, 1969 |
| Reference number | 69000335 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in fair condition, occupied and in government use. It was altered extensively after the Civil War, and the form says the alterations could be reversed by careful restoration. |
| Coordinates | 37.34158, -77.07230 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 69000335.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712153
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.