Three Courthouse Essentials - Charles City VA
Posted by: 
Don.Morfe
N 37° 20.500 W 077° 04.338
18S E 316432 N 4134789
A clerk’s office, jail and tavern were located at every courthouse. The purpose of the clerk’s office and the jail are obvious, but can you guess why the tavern was just as essential?
Waymark Code: WM137V9
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 10/05/2020
Views: 1
Three Courthouse Essentials-A clerk’s office, jail and tavern were located at every courthouse. The purpose of the clerk’s office and the jail are obvious, but can you guess why the tavern was just as essential? In the colonial era courts met infrequently, and lawyers and litigants often traveled long distances to attend. Without a tavern those attending court would have had no place to dine or lodge during the days of the court session.
The original clerk’s office was replaced in 1901 with the building that now houses the visitor information center. It was an example of early fireproof construction designed to protect the county’s important legal records. For many years it was the county’s only office building where even the Board of Supervisors held its meetings.
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Discovery Center
The tavern was a gathering place for lawyers. Can you find the tavern bill for a former Virginia Governor?
John Major Tavern & Lodging Account, 1794.Courtesy Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
Group that erected the marker: Charles City Courthouse,
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link]
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
intersection of Courthouse Road (Virginia Route 155) and Watermelon Fields Road
on the lawn of the old Charles City Courthouse.
Charles City, VA USA
23030
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Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the marker, preferably including yourself or your GPSr in the photo. A very detailed description of your visit may be substituted for a photo. In any case please provide a description of your visit. A description of only "Visited" or "Saw it while on vacation" by anyone other than the person creating the waymark may be deleted by the waymark owner or the category officers.