Loudoun
County Courthouse
Leesburg, Virginia
#NC-02020-CH - Notecards
Also available in Assortment Pack #AST-780
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Constructed
in 1894, the Loudoun County Courthouse is the third to stand on
the same site. The bell from the first courthouse, built in 1761,
hangs in the belfry today. Posts from the second courthouse, which
opened in 1811, can still be seen in the courtyard.
No records
exist concerning reasons for replacing the original brick courthouse,
but the second courthouse was deemed "an unhealthy place"
where "the ceilings are tumbling down and walls are cracked"
shortly before its demolition. Richmond architect William West
and the Norris Brothers, local contractors, combined to produce
a brick building that has admirably stood the test of time. The
cost: $11,000.
Felony trials,
held quarterly in the 18th and 19th centuries, became a favored
form of entertainment, attracting citizens to the courthouse from
throughout the county. At such times, the aura of the town became
festive. The court also met monthly to take care of more mundane
business such as setting tax rates, appraising estates and hearing
misdemeanor cases.
The courtyard
features war memorials, including a 1908 Confederate statue sculpted
by Frederick Sievers. Among the noteworthy citizens honored inside
with portraits is James Monroe, who moved to Loudoun County after
his presidency and, for lack of a pension, served as a justice
of the peace. Upstairs, many of the chairs have been individualized
over the years by jurors who whittled the arms while listening
as attorneys presented their cases.
Text
© 1997 Terry White, Drawing © 1997 Bill Harrah