Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 06/06/2007
NRHP Listing Date 08/16/2007
NRHP Reference Number 07000829
Typical of many Virginia courthouse towns, the resources of the Cumberland Court House Historic District reflect the slow growth of the courthouse village as it gained importance as a regional commercial center for a rural area. It developed from a small hamlet after its establishment as the county seat in 1777, to a thriving community by the mid-20th-century. Development centered on U.S 60, the main transportation route through the village. The construction of a new courthouse accompanied the village’s status as county seat, though this courthouse burned soon after, in 1783. It was replaced by the current brick courthouse between 1818 and 1821. Notably, the county records are complete back to its formation in 1749. A variety of architectural styles can currently be found throughout the village, including Federal, Greek Revival, Queen Anne, and Jefferson-influenced Roman Revival styles. The oldest building in the Cumberland Court House Historic District was built in the late-18th-century. The early-19th-century saw steady development, with a more intense period occurring in the late-19th to early-20th-centuries following the construction of part of the Farmville and Powhatan Railroad.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: February 22, 2023
