Spotsylvania Court House Historic District - Civil War Discovery Trail Sites on Waymarking.com

In 1863, the Confederate army turned the courthouse at Spotsylvania, Virginia into a stockade to hold Union prisoners captured during the Battle of Chancellorsville which disrupted the peace of this quiet rural village. But it was the following year when this little town found itself under fire and caught in the middle of some of the bloodiest fighting of the war when the armies of Lee and Grant clashed during the march to Richmond.

The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House left the village devastated with many of the buildings severely damaged by the crossfire including the courthouse, but it was not until the turn of the century before any major reconstruction or rebuilding was done. In 1900, the original courthouse, rendered unsafe because of the war damage, finally underwent an extensive renovation, but it maintained the same design and columns. Besides the courthouse, there are other buildings including two churches which were damaged, but still stand today -- Old Berea Christian Church which has been converted into a museum and Christ Church which still bears bullet holes in its exterior brick walls -- and help make up the Spotsylvania Court House Historic District.

There are two CWDT historical markers across the street from the Spotsylvania Courthouse on Courthouse Rd. Both are part of the Lee vs. Grant: The 1864 Overland Campaign on the Civil War Discovery Trail.

• Spotsylvania Court House ☆ ☆ ☆ Historic District
• Spotsylvania Court House ☆ ☆ ☆ In the Path of War

References:

• NRHP Nomination Form: Spotsylvania Court House Historic District, pg. 10
• On-site information

Type of site: Other Address: Courthouse Rd./Rt.208 Spotsylvania, VA USA 22553 Admission Charged: No Charge Website: [Web Link] Driving Directions: To reach the Spotsylvania County Historic District, take the I-95 Spotsylvania exit 126. Take Route 1 South; right onto Southpoint Parkway. Make a left on Courthouse Road (Route 208). After 7 miles take 208 Business (left at stoplight). Park in front of the Holbert Building. Phone Number: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   08/30/2000 adgorn visited it