113 Years Ago

Construction Begins on County Courthouse

Construction of the Loudoun County Courthouse officially began 113 years ago this month with the laying of the cornerstone on April 24, 1894. Although it is now popularly known as the Old Courthouse, it was actually the third courthouse building to be located on that site, at the intersection of King and Market Streets in Leesburg. Construction of the first Loudoun County courthouse began around 1758, and it is believed that the first county court sessions were held in the unfinished building in November 1760. The original brick courthouse structure measured 40 feet by 28 feet, with an attached 16-by-16-foot jury room. The Loudoun County Court authorized construction of a bell tower on the original structure in 1769. The bell arrived in 1772, and the belfry was completed in 1773. The first courthouse served the county for more than 50 years before it was replaced by a larger brick structure around 1811. Board of Supervisors meeting records show that the Board voted on October 30, 1893, to build a new courthouse on the same site as the courthouse then in use.

A building committee was appointed to advertise for competitive architectural plans, to obtain authority from the Virginia General Assembly to borrow funds for construction, and to advertise for building contractors. The building combines Roman Revival and Georgian styles of architecture. The architect was William C. West of Richmond, and the construction contract went to the Norris Brothers of Leesburg, for the low bid of $9,300. According to a front page story in The Mirror on April 26, 1894, about 200 members of the Grand Lodge of Masons of Virginia were among the crowd that attended the laying of the cornerstone. The cornerstone, which was laid with full Masonic ceremonies, was lowered into place at noon on Tuesday, April 24. Contents of the cornerstone included a lambskin apron, copies of local Masonic newspapers, a photograph of the previous (1811) courthouse on that site, an almanac, and U.S. and Japanese coins. Judge R.T.W. Duke Jr. of Charlottesville, the featured speaker, delivered a 7,000-word oration. "Here law is to have her dwelling place, the rights, the liberties, the very lives of man are to hang in balance," he said.

This is one of a series of weekly releases from the Loudoun County Office of Public Information highlighting landmark events in the Loudoun County government during its 250-year history.

Sources:

John T. Phillips II, "Loudoun County Courthouse"

Frank Raflo, "A Walk around Leesburg"

Article by John Lewis Pitts in the Loudoun Times-Mirror, April 27, 1993

Judge James H. Chamblin, “100th Anniversary, Loudoun County Courthouse”

Board of Supervisors Meeting Minutes

Image: Loudoun County Courthouse; photo by Lorie Flading