Located on 6 Court Street near Main Street, the courthouse is Warrenton’s premier historic landmark and contributor to the Town of Warrenton Historic District. The building currently houses the County General District Court of the 20th Judicial District.

The courthouse is the focal point, symbolic of Warrenton’s history as a pre-Revolutionary era, 18th century crossroads community and a thriving commerce, legal and political center in the region. Warrenton became where several of the nation’s distinguished lawyers and politicians of the 19th century practiced their craft. The most famous is John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice to the Supreme Court.

The current structure is the fourth built for the judiciary. Completed in 1890, it is an excellent example of the Classical Revival style by architect William H. Baldwin.

Brief History – The settlement, now known as Warrenton, was established in the mid-18th century soon after the establishment of Fauquier County in 1759. The community developed at the crossroads of several active, important commerce roads from: a) north to south, from Winchester to Fredericksburg, b) from the west, roads from Rappahannock, c) southwest, roads from Culpeper to the d) east, Alexandria. The travel time from all routes to cross the length of these roads was a two-day drive. The town became the logical stop for an overnight stay and a point to buy goods.

Originally named, “Fauquier Court House” the settlement location was selected as the best location to build a courthouse to accommodate and process legal activity associated with regional commerce that convened there. Court proceedings were first held in private homes before the first of four public buildings were built.

The first, “wood-structure” courthouse was erected near the present-day cemetery. A second, permanent courthouse replaced the first in and was located east of Culpeper Street near the Dumfries – Rappahannock road. Completed in 1818, it is known as the location of Warrenton’s welcoming address to General Lafayette on August 23, 1825.

The third courthouse was built on the current site in 1854 but caught fire during the public fireworks display in 1889. It was rebuilt using the wall that remained structurally sound and was operational by July 1890. Designed by William H. Baldwin and built by Albert Fletcher. It functioned as the courthouse until 1974 when a new facility located at 29 Asbury and West Lee Streets.

Architectural Design – Late 19th century Classical Revival architecture design; 2-story stucco over brick and stone structure with a 3-bay porch with 4 Ionic columned porticos. The building has a gable roof and bracketed modillion cornice with a pedimented brick clock tower and vented cupula. There are vertical pilasters along the sides that separate arched windows.

Notables – The most prominent notable had legal and political ties to Warrenton is Chief Justice John Marshall. The fourth Chief Justice to the Supreme Court (1801-1835) and the fourth Secretary of State under President John Adams was born near Warrenton in 1755. Marshall served in the Continental Army and was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. After leaving the army he studied law and practiced law in Warrenton. William “Extra Billy” Smith, the 30th and 35th Governor of Virginia, read law in Warrenton. Samuel Chilton practiced law in Warrenton and was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1845. He was the defense attorney for abolitionist, John Brown.

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