Urbanna in Middlesex County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Colonial Courthouse

Urbanna, Virginia

— The Museum in the Streets —

Colonial Courthouse Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 25, 2021

1. Colonial Courthouse Marker

Inscription. The courtyard of Middlesex County's colonial courthouse was directly behind the brick courthouse building in view from this panel. In the year 1748, the Town of Urbanna became the county seat of Middlsex County. It remained so for 104 years when in 1852 the courthouse was moved to its present location in Saluda. Middlesex County's colonial courthouse still stands on Virginia Street as the Middlesex County Woman's Club building. The courtyard was located behind the courthouse and extended to Prince George Street. The grounds consisted of the courthouse building, a brick clerk's office building, jail, pillory, whipping post and stocks. National and local issues of the times were heard at the courthouse. In sympathy with the 1773 Boston Tea Party, Middlesex Resolutions were drafted and read to the people at the courthouse on July 15, 1774. The resolutions unequivocally staked out the positions of the people of Middlesex County and Urbanna that they would not tolerate taxation without representation. These resolutions, along with those of others in the colonies eventually led to citizen support of an American Revolution. The

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resolutions came in the aftermath of the imprisonment, in 1772, of the famous Baptist minister John Waller who was jailed in the "town gail" by an Anglican sheriff for preaching the gospel without an Anglican approved license. Waller sparked the town's "Great Religious Awakening" by preaching each day to town people who congregated outside the jail window. After the American victory at Yorktown, the Baptist faith spread like wildfire in Urbanna and Middlesex County.

Erected by The Museum in the Streets®. (Marker Number 1.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Government & Politics • Law Enforcement • Religion & Religious Structures • War, US Revolutionary. In addition, it is included in the The Museum in the Streets: Urbanna, Virginia series list. A significant historical date for this entry is July 15, 1774.

Location. 37° 38.172′ N, 76° 34.489′ W. Marker is in Urbanna, Virginia, in Middlesex County. It is on Cross Street (Virginia Route 227) just south of Virginia Street ( Route 602), on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area:

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 25, 2021

2. Colonial Courthouse Marker

Urbanna VA 23175, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Virginia’s Middle Peninsula.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in the Tidewater,

in the Chesapeake Bay Region,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Urbanna, Virginia (a few steps from this marker); Old Middlesex County Courthouse (within shouting distance of this marker); Virginia Street (within shouting distance of this marker); Urbanna Museum & Visitors Center (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Sandwich (about 300 feet away); Cross Street (about 400 feet away); Tobacco Was Money (about 500 feet away); Coca-Cola Bottling Plant (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map

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of all markers in Urbanna.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 17, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 25, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 427 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 25, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.