Northampton Historic Preservation Society
Enriching lives through the preservation of historical sites and cultural heritage in Northampton County, Virginia.
Why are the remaining buildings on the Historic
Northampton County Court Green in
Eastville significant?
A quick look at the history of the Northampton County Historic Court Green.
A court green or courthouse square in the first settlements in America became the central location for all classes to hear and determine legal activities, transact business, and gather for news and social activities. They typically consisted of a courthouse, clerk’s office, and jail.
By 1634, the
Virginia colony was divided into eight shires (including Accawmack) and each
was required to hold monthly courts. Accawmack was renamed Northampton in 1642,
and by 1663, was divided into two counties; the southern being Northampton and
the northern being Accomack.
Follow the puzzle and learn more about Courts and Courthouses and the Clerk's Offices here and about the Debtors' Prison and Jails here.
NHPS needs your help to restore the 1907 Jail for use as a museum about Northampton County jails. With the restoration of the 1907 Jail, the Northampton County Court Green is certain to be one of the most intact and restored court greens in the Country. If you would like to contribute to restore the 1907 Jail for use as a museum, a donation button is available below. The museum will feature the role jails played in county governance in Eastville, Virginia from Colonial times until today. To place the restoration of the 1907 Jail in perspective, in 1913 the founder of NHPS saved the 1800 Clerk's Office, 1814 Debtors Prison, and the 1731 Courthouse from destruction. Think about what a significant historical loss that would have been. This time it is our turn to save this 113-year old structure for future generations to understand the role jails played in Northampton County governance, in conjunction with the other remaining historical structures, for over 300 years.
Learn more about the 1907 Jail and all the other jails that once stood on the historic Northampton County Court Green by watching the video on Northampton jails found by clicking here.
For a form to use to send a donation by mail, click here: Donation Form
Northampton Historic Preservation Society Awarded $50,000 Challenge Grant from The Cabell Foundation to Restore Northampton Court Green 1907 Jail
The
Northampton Historic Preservation Society (NHPS) is pleased to announce that The
Cabell Foundation has awarded a one-to-one $50,000 challenge grant to support
the restoration and preservation of the 1907 jail building on the Northampton
County Court Green in Eastville, Virginia. The Society plans to use the 1907 Jail
as a museum to recognize the history of all the jails that once stood on the
historic court green.
This project will complete a five-building combination of exhibits and
buildings reflecting Northampton County governance over the past three hundred
years. The existing self-guided tour includes an overview of the
Northampton Court Green history in an exhibit room of the 1899 Courthouse (now
County Administration Building) and exhibits in the 1731 Courthouse, the Old
Clerk's Office (ca.1800) and the Debtors Prison (ca.1814). The addition of the
1907 Jail Museum will become the fifth stop on this educational tour.
Northampton Court Green buildings showcase architectural styles from the last three centuries and provide informative exhibits for students, academicians, and other visitors about activities that took place on the historic court green. With the restoration of the 1907 Jail, the Northampton County Historic Court Green is certain to be one of the most intact and restored court greens in the country. In order to receive The Cabell Foundation challenge grant, NHPS must raise $50,000 in cash and pledges.
The Cabell Foundation challenge grant relies on community involvement through contributions to support preservation efforts! Every gift counts! One-time or monthly donations may be made with the donation button below. Contact Mike Ash at 757-678-0963 or email: nhps100@gmail.com for more information about the project or to discuss your pledge, contribution, or becoming a sponsor.
Due to concerns with the Coronavirus, the Northampton Historic Preservation Society will not be holding the “Researching Genealogy in the Northampton County Clerk’s Office” program on Friday, March 20th, 2020. It will be rescheduled as soon as it is appropriate to do so. Thank you for your interest in NHPS programs!
This
is the first in a series of Northampton Historic Preservation Society genealogy
lectures planned by Eastville historian, Dr. David Scott. Dr. Scott will share his tips on how to use
the resources of the Northampton County Clerk’s Office, which houses the oldest
continuous court records in America. Learn how to use these remarkable records
to aid your research and, perhaps, to solve some mysteries in your family
history.
During a power point presentation, Dr. Scott will introduce participants to the record room in the clerk's office, detail how to use these valuable original records, and answer general research questions. He will be then available in the clerk's office after the presentation for the remainder of the day to assist participants who would like to explore the Clerk’s Office for information based upon what they have learned at the lecture.
Registration online is strongly suggested to hold a spot at this lecture. The cost to attend is $25 per person. All proceeds will go toward NHPS fundraising to restore the historic 1907 Jail on the Northampton Court Green. Please register below.
Congratulations to the NHPS Essay Winners!!!
The Northampton Historic Preservation Society is pleased to announce the winners of an essay contest the NHPS sponsored on the life and contributions of Peter Jacob Carter.
Victoria
Arvidson won the First Place prize of $100.00. Second Place for the $75.00
prize went to Ramsey Revelle, and Jacob Morrison won $50.00 for Third Place. (Picture, left to right - Jacob Morrison, Victoria Arvidson, and Ramsey Revelle,)
NHPS
congratulates the winners for rising to the challenge and submitting such
outstanding essays! The Northampton
Historic Preservation Society is committed to promoting the history and
preservation of 300+ years in Northampton County, Virginia, and encouraging
this interest in our young people is one of our priorities. Thank you to all
who participated.
Please help support Northampton County's preservation efforts!
Already a member? Consider volunteering for the various NHPS activities.
If
you wish to learn more about the Northampton Historic Preservation
Society before becoming a member, receive our emails about our programs
and exhibits by sending your email address to the link below and
indicating you would like to be added to our mailing list.
Click here for: Membership Information
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Northampton Historic Preservation Society History
