Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 04/17/1973
NRHP Listing Date 05/25/1973
NRHP Reference Number 73001999
The Caroline County Courthouse was erected in the early 1830s to replace a courthouse that stood nearby. The architecturally sophisticated structure, located in the Bowling Green Historic District, is distinguished by its bold Tuscan pediment and arcaded ground floor. Because of the loss of county records, the exact construction date and designer are not known, but the building’s similarity to the Madison and Page County courthouses, both erected by master builders William B. Phillips and Malcolm F. Crawford, has led to the attribution of the Caroline courthouse to them. Phillips and Crawford had been employed by Thomas Jefferson at the University of Virginia where they became proficient in the classical vocabulary. They subsequently built numerous public buildings and houses throughout the state. Caroline’s courthouse is believed to be the county’s sixth courthouse. The interior underwent a modified restoration to its original configuration in the early 1970s.
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: October 13, 2021
