12-08-2025 11:36am

The History Of The Old Spotsylvania Country Courthouse

John Williams Editor

This is the first of a series of articles about the Historic Spotsylvania Courthouse Area, the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, and the Spotsylvania National Battlefield.

The Old Spotsylvania Court House was originally completed in 1840 and was the fifth location for the county's court system. It is most famously associated with the brutal Battle of Spotsylvania Court House during the Civil War in May 1864. Key Historical Details

Construction and Design: The courthouse, a two-story Roman Revival brick building featuring a Tuscan-style portico, was built by Malcolm F. Crawford and William Phillips, who had previously worked on the University of Virginia with Thomas Jefferson.
Civil War Significance: Its strategic location on the road between Richmond and Fredericksburg made it a pivotal site. During the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, one of the bloodiest engagements of the war, the building sustained heavy damage and was subsequently used as a hospital for wounded Confederate soldiers. County records were buried for safekeeping during the conflict and were largely preserved.
Post-War Reconstruction: The damage from the war was deemed too severe for simple renovation. By 1900, the building was declared unsafe and a new, enlarged structure of a similar design was constructed on the same site, completed in 1901. This new building used less expensive cream-colored bricks instead of the original red, though the original columns were salvaged and reused.
Historic District: The current courthouse is the centerpiece of the Spotsylvania Court House Historic District, which also includes the ca. 1800 Spotswood Inn (tavern), the 1855 Jail, two antebellum churches, and the Confederate cemetery.

The courthouse and surrounding area are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the site of numerous historical markers and walking tours that detail its rich and often somber history.