Celebrating 150 Years

Following the establishment of Culpeper County from a part of Orange County in 1749, the courthouse was relocated to Orange Court House from elsewhere in the county. The court convened in the house of a man named Timothy Crosthwait until 1752; after Crosthwait deeded the two acres to the county, a new courthouse was constructed on the property. The town at that time consisted of the courthouse and its related public buildings, a few houses and stores, a tavern and little else. The first U.S. Post Office was constructed in the town in 1796. From 1801 to 1804, the courthouse was replaced with a new building, clerk's office and, later, a new jail.

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In 1799, Paul Verdier purchased the property of William Bell, an 18th-century farm that included much of the modern-day Town of Orange adjacent to Main Street, near present-day Bellevue and Peliso avenues. Verdier divided the land into lots, which helped shape the town's pattern of development. His house, which he named Montpeliso, still stands on the land. Growth continued into the 19th century as new roadways were constructed through the town. Along with expanding agricultural markets, the roads helped transform Orange Court House into a regional center. In 1834, the Virginia General Assembly passed an act allowing the incorporation of the Town of Orange Court House, but the act did not have implementing legislation.

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Orange Court House continued growing, with several significant downtown buildings being constructed from this point up to the Civil War, including the Sparks Building (1829) the Holladay House (1830), and the St. Thomas Episcopal Church (1833). These buildings still stand as part of the Orange Commercial Historic District. In 1847, the Orange and Alexandria Railroad chose to route their new railway from Alexandria to Gordonsville through Orange. The county court granted the railroad right-of-way through the courthouse property, which required the courthouse to be moved to another location.

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The fourth and current courthouse was completed in 1859 in the Italian Villa architectural style and stands today on the corner of Madison Road and Main Street. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The General Assembly passed an act in 1855 which officially incorporated the Town of Orange Court House, but it did not take effect until a majority of citizens qualified to vote consented, which did not occur until 1872.

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