VA-UM51 Butts Tavern

Marker text: BUTTS TAVERN

According to local tradition, the first court meeting for newly formed Greensville County occurred in Butts Tavern two blocks east on 22 Feb. 1781. Built about 1770 at the intersection of Fort Christianna and Halifax Roads for William Edwards, the tavern was named for John Butts, who owned it early in the 19th century. By midcentury, the tavern was either remodeled or enlarged to become a Greek Revival-style frame dwelling. After the Civil War, Sallie W. Reese operated the Belfield Seminary for Young Ladies and Children there between 1877 and 1891. While undergoing restoration, the building was damaged by fire on 10 Feb. 1965. The ruins were demolished in 1968.

Department of Historic Resources, 1999