Lynchburg Courthouse
Why it's listed
Crowning a hill above Lynchburg's James River port, this stucco-over-brick courthouse rests on a granite ashlar basement and is topped by a shallow dome with a small open belfry. Completed in 1855 to a design by Andrew Ellison, Jr., and built by Hallet and Mace for $22,000, it replaced the town's first courthouse on the same summit. A three-bay Doric portico fronts the building, and the pediment holds a clock shipped from Boston in 1833 and earlier used by a local church. Inside, curving stairs with walnut handrails rise from a transverse hall, and the first-floor courtroom has cast iron Corinthian columns. The building was among the first in Lynchburg to have gas lighting in 1876 and electric lighting eight years later. Monument Terrace, a granite staircase designed in 1924, leads up to it, and the pair form a notable urban focal point. A newer courthouse opened in 1955, and the old building now houses the Juvenile and Domestic Courts.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an outstanding example of Greek Revival public architecture, designed by Andrew Ellison, Jr. to exploit its hilltop site above the James River port. Together with Monument Terrace it forms one of the most impressive urban focal points in Virginia. It is also the second courthouse on the site and was an early adopter of gas and electric lighting.
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 72001508, listed May 19, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 9th St. between Court and Church Sts., Lynchburg (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Lynchburg |
| Listed | May 19, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72001508 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1855) |
| Architect / builder | Andrew Ellison, Jr. (architect); built by the firm of Hallet and Mace |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Marked occupied and in fair condition, unaltered, on its original site. A third courthouse was built in 1955, and the old courthouse houses the Juvenile and Domestic Courts. |
| Acreage | 9.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.41368, -79.14434 (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 72001508.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6708471
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.