The Hanover Courthouse

The Hanover Courthouse (c. 1767)

The Hanover Courthouse (2017)

Site Name: Hanover Courthouse

Date of Construction: 1735

Reason for Construction: Built to serve as both the County Seat and courthouse for the recently created Hanover County.

Site History: The Hanover Courthouse was constructed in 1735, by William Meriwether, just 15 years after the formation of Hanover County which occurred on November 16, 1720. It is a single-story, brick building, in a T-shape, where the courtroom lies in the rear of the T-shape. The historic courthouse would later be surrounded by a tavern, a country jail, and the clerk’s office. Its primary responsibilities were the political and judicial actions of the county, as it served as the center establishment and county seat in Hanover. The most famous case held in the Hanover Courthouse was called the “Parson’s Cause” which was successfully argued and won by Patrick Henry in 1763. Also, on the eve of the Revolutionary War, citizens of Hanover County gathered inside the courthouse to adopt what would be known as the “Hanover Resolutions”. These resolutions described their feelings and stances on issues with the Parliament of Great Britain. Hanover County’s Courthouse is one of the nation’s oldest and most famous courthouses.

Area History: Hanover County was founded on November 16, 1720, following the split of New Kent County. The county was named after King George I of Great Britain, as he was of the House of Hanover. Hanover County was also the birthplace of Patrick Henry, a famous American statesman, as well as Henry Clay, the author of the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and future Secretary of State. The historic Hanover Courthouse lies just North of United States Route 301, and the buildings nearby are what make up the Hanover County Courthouse Historic District.

What about the site has changed?

Several new complexes, including two new court buildings and a library, have been built around the original courthouse.

What about the surrounding area has changed?

Many new highways, including I-95 and I-64 have been built in the surrounding area. While it is significantly less rural than the area had been, Hanover County is still a fairly rural county in Virginia.

Reflection: We learned that the Hanover Courthouse has been the site of a few famous court cases. In addition to this, we were able to learn more about the area that surrounds the courthouse and the new buildings and extensions that have been built at the site. Still in active use, it still remains one of the oldest courthouses in the nation, and its legacy lives on as the oldest courthouse still used for that purpose in the United States.

Authors: Adam Blankenship and Samuel Thornton