Virginia State Seal Virginia Department of Historic Resources

121-0001 Warwick County Courthouses

Warwick County Courthouses
Photo credit: Brad McDonald/DHR, 2022

*Click on image to enlarge.

For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF

VLR Listing Date 02/16/1988

NRHP Listing Date 11/03/1988

DHR's Virginia Board of Historic Resources easement

NRHP Reference Number 88002186

Surrounded by sprawling suburban development, the former county-seat settlement at Denbigh preserves the two historic courthouses of the now-extinct Warwick County. The 1810 courthouse is a small T-shaped brick structure fronted by a carefully articulated Doric portico. The building was converted to the clerk’s office when the 1884 courthouse was built nearby, and it now serves as a visitors’ center. The 1884 courthouse was built in conjunction with the completion of the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad to Newport News. An excellent example of High Victorian Italianate, it has the tall windows, bracketed cornice, and cupola that are hallmarks of the style. The courthouse served the county until 1958 when Warwick County was consolidated with the independent city of Newport News. The building now houses the Denbigh Community Center.


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: March 10, 2022