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 song 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.

Marker is at the intersection of Courthouse Road (Virginia Route 155) and Watermelon Fields Road on Courthouse Road.

Courtesy hmdb.org

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