VA-K316 Old Isle of Wight Courthouse

Marker text: OLD ISLE OF WIGHT COURTHOUSE

Smithfield served as the county seat from 1752 to 1801. The Old Isle of Wight courthouse was built in 1752. Constructed by William Rand, it is one of Virginia's few surviving colonial court structures and is notable for having a semicircular apse with a conical roof, reflective of the Colonial Capitol in Williamsburg. Converted into a residence in 1812, the courthouse was acquired by the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities in 1938 and restored to its original appearance. A nearby house was converted into a tavern for the courthouse village by Rand around 1756; it was modified and enlarged over the years and is now known as the Smithfield Inn.

Department of Historic Resources, 2002