Court day in early Virginia transformed crossroads towns into forums for citizens of all social classes to transact a variety of business, from legal cases heard before the county magistrates to horse races, ballgames, and the sale and barter of produce, clothing, food, and drink. As marketplace, playing field, social center, and administrative and judicial county seat, the courthouse grounds gave rise to an array of public and private buildings. The Courthouses of Early Virginia is the first comprehensive history of the public buildings that formed the nucleus of this space and the...
Court day in early Virginia transformed crossroads towns into forums for citizens of all social classes to transact a variety of business, from leg...