History of Halifax
The town of Halifax has been the county seat of Halifax County since 1777. It is named for George Montague, the second Earl of Halifax, an English statesman. Previously this community had been called Banister, Houston, and Halifax Court House. Portions of Gen. Nathanael Greene's troops were here in Feb. 1781. George Washington was in the region on 4 June 1791. During the spring of 1827, John Randolph of Roanoke spoke here to a large gathering of people. The present courthouse is a Classical Revival structure built in 1839, constructed by Dabney Cosby, Sr., one of Thomas Jefferson's master builders. Union Gen. George Custer camped in the region in Apr. 1865.
Marker is at the intersection of South Main Street (U.S. 501) and Edmunds Boulevard (Virginia Route 349), on the left when traveling north on South Main Street.
Courtesy hmdb.org
