Old Isle of Wight Courthouse
About this property
The Old Isle of Wight Courthouse was built in 1750-51 and was used as the main courthouse for Isle of Wight County, Virginia until a new courthouse was built at Isle of Wight, Virginia in 1800. It is located in the Historic District in the town of Smithfield. During its 50 years of use as the county courthouse, it was considered the center of life in Isle of Wight and in the town of Smithfield, which was incorporated in 1752. It was constructed by William Rand, and featured a distinctive semi-circular apse and conical roof found in many English churches of the period and echoing the Colonial Capitol in Williamsburg. An adjacent clerk's office was constructed in 1799, although it was only in use for its intended purpose for a year, before the new courthouse at Isle of Wight was constructed. The old Smithfield courthouse was later modified into a family residence. To do so, the arcade was blocked and the roof converted to a gable. The courthouse and clerk's office were acquired by Preservation Virginia in 1938 and an extensive restoration project was completed in 1959. A second restoration of the courthouse was undertaken in the late 1990s with the help of Colonial Williamsburg consultants and craftsmen, in which the interior was modified to more accurately recreate the appearance of a typical Virginia courthouse of the period. The building is one of four remaining examples of arcaded colonial courthouses. In 2013, ownership passed from Preservation Virginia to the non-profit Historic Smithfield, and on May 18, 2024 the property was officially deeded to the 1750 Courthouse Board, which for the past 11 years has operated as a semi-independent group under Historic Smithfield, tasked with raising funds for the historic building’s upkeep. Media related to Old Isle of Wight Courthouse (Virginia) at Wikimedia Commons Visitor Information Archived October 17, 2015, at the Wayback Machine - Isle of Wight-Smithfield-Windsor Chamber of Commerce Isle of Wight County Courthouse, Main & Mason Streets, Smithfield, Isle of Wight County, VA at the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) (pre-restoration) Small Brick Office, Mason & Main Streets, Smithfield, Isle of Wight County, VA at HABS
Location
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Old Isle of Wight Courthouse
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Questions about this property
When was Old Isle of Wight Courthouse listed on the National Register?
Old Isle of Wight Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 14, 1970.
What type of historic resource is Old Isle of Wight Courthouse?
Old Isle of Wight Courthouse is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Old Isle of Wight Courthouse?
The period of significance for Old Isle of Wight Courthouse is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Old Isle of Wight Courthouse?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Old Isle of Wight Courthouse will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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