In 1722, the court system of Spotsylvania was first established at Germanna, a community that was built with the help of Alexander Spotswood, the namesake of Spotsylvania County. In 1732, the court system was moved to Fredericksburg (which was a part of Spotsylvania County at the time); to the “old Courthouse” in 1778; and to its present site in 1839 when Lewis Rawlings, the owner of the Tavern, gave the County ten acres for the courthouse green. The team of Malcolm Crawford, a carpenter, and William Phillips, a brick mason, who helped Thomas Jefferson build the University of Virginia, won the contract and completed the courthouse in 1840.
The battering sustained by the courthouse during the Civil War necessitated major repairs in 1870. By 1900, the building was declared unsafe; subsequently, a new, enlarged building of similar design was constructed on the site, using cream brick instead of red. The original Doric columns were salvaged and put in place. In 1964, the wing on the southwest corner was added to house government offices. Official County records were buried during the Civil War, and with the exception of three books, which were damaged by water, the records are complete, dating from the founding of the County in 1720-1721.
The Courthouse is one of many buildings within the Historic Spotsylvania Courthouse District. To learn more about this and all the other buildings in the area please visit our website and download the walking tour app or stop by the Spotsylvania Visitor Center for more information.
SOURCE: Virginia Is For Lovers