The Courthouse Tavern / Atkinson's Hotel / The Village

The Courthouse Tavern, also, Atkinson's Hotel, also, The Village. . , The Courthouse Tavern , Steeped in Powhatan history this large building evolved from the story and a half frame portion on the right which dates to the late 18th century. The impressive brick portion with the double galleries was completed in 1822. Initially owner Richard Bass named it the Grove Tavern after a grove of trees just opposite of the public Square. Stage coach stop, Post Office, dining hall, school, apartments, over the generations this building has housed them all., The Tavern is a Virginia Historic Landmark, being part of the Powhatan Courthouse Historic District and listed on the National Register of Historic places., Atkinson's Hotel: In the years after the Civil War, descendants of the builder Richard Bass changed the name of this Tavern to Atkinson's Hotel. The word Tavern was fading from use and the term Hotel seemed more modern. While always welcoming travelers arriving on stagecoach, horseback and railroad, summer boarding away from the heat of the city was a specialty of The Atkinson., The Village: Laid out in 1777 and today called simply Powhatan Courthouse, the Village was originally named Scottville after Gen. Charles Scott a Revolutionary War officer born in the area. Confusion on maps and in the mails with Scottsville in Albemarle County likely led to the change in terminology. The prolific Virginia writer Marion Harland (1830-1922) lived here in the Village and her works contain fascinating vignettes of early Powhatan.