Courtland is an

incorporated town An incorporated town is a town that is a municipal corporation. Canada Incorporated towns are a form of local government in Canada, which is a responsibility of provincial rather than federal government. United States An incorporated town o ...

Southampton County, Virginia Southampton County is a county located on the southern border of the Commonwealth of Virginia. North Carolina is to the south. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 17,996. Its county seat is Courtland. History In the earl ...

, United States. It is the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of Southampton County.

History

Native Americans of the Cheroenhaka (Nottoway), and

Meherrin The Meherrin people are an Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, who spoke an Iroquian language. They lived between the Piedmont and coastal plains at the border of Virginia and North Carolina. The Meherrin Indian Tribe is a stat ...

tribes were the first inhabitants of the land that is now Courtland. Virginia's leaders prohibited Europeans from settling the area that is Courtland during the first 100 years of the colony.Lewes, David and Hanbury, Mary Ruffin. (November 2019)
National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Courtland Historic District
(PDF). ''Virginia Department of Historic Resources''. pp. Section 8.35. Retrieved March 18, 2023. The Articles of Peace signed between the colony and the natives in 1677 set aside for use by Nottoway. As a result, the Nottoway established several settlements along the banks of the Nottoway River near what is now Courtland in the late 17th century. As late as 1821, the Nottoways maintained their traditional social order with a female leader. In 1749, the European settlers formed Southampton County from Isle of Wight County, using the

Blackwater River A blackwater river is a type of River#Classification, river with a slow-moving channel flowing through forested swamps or wetlands. Most major blackwater rivers are in the Amazon Basin and the Southern United States. The term is used in fluvial ...

as the dividing line. In 1751, the county built a clerk's office, pillory, and prison on the eastern bank of the

Nottoway River The Nottoway River is a river in the U.S. State of Virginia and northeastern North Carolina that is in length. The river begins in Prince Edward County and merges with the Blackwater River to form the Chowan River in North Carolina. The river ...

in the geographic center of Southampton. A courthouse was added to the complex in 1752. A town grew around the courthouse and became a courthouse village and minor market center. The courthouse burned in 1767 and was replaced in 1768.Lewes, David; Hanbury, Mary Ruffin (November 2019).
National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Courtland Historic District
(PDF). ''Virginia Department of Historic Resources''. pp. Section 8.36-38. Retrieved March 18, 2023. The town was incorporated as the Town Jerusalem by the

Virginia General Assembly The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the oldest continuous law-making body in the Western Hemisphere, and the first elected legislative assembly in the New World. It was established on July 30, ...

in 1791. Jerusalem was Southampton County's only town through the 18th century. Eight trustees divided the town's ten acres (40,000 m²) into half-acre lots alongside the courthouse on land owned by Joseph Scott and William Scott. The trustees created two streets—Main Street and the eastern end of Court Street. The trustees auctioned the lots with the requirement of adding a building within five years. Henry Adams and Thomas Hunts purchased Lot 18 and built a house in 1796; they applied for a license to operate an ordinary there in 1797. Located across Main Street from the courthouse, the tavern offered a good view of the executions across the street, behind the jail's fence. A new courthouse was built in 1798. Samuel Kello Jr., one of the original eight trustees and the Southampton County clerk of court, purchased the tavern in 1799. In 1828, he sold the ordinary to Henry Vaughan. James Rochelle replaced Kello as clerk of court and moved into and expanded a house built in 1811 by his father-in-law on Lots 14 and 15, across Main Street from the courthouse. There in the 1839s, Rochelle taught law to his nephew, George H. Thomas, before Thomas entered the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...

and became a Union General during the Civil War. In 1830, the Jerusalem Jockey Club formed and coordinated racing seasons in May and November. In August 1831, the town became well known nationally as the site of the trials and subsequent executions of

Nat Turner Nat Turner (October 2, 1800 – November 11, 1831) was an enslaved Black carpenter and preacher who led a four-day rebellion of both enslaved and free Black people in Southampton County, Virginia in August 1831. Nat Turner's Rebellion res ...

and some of his cohorts who had planned a major slave rebellion in Southampton County During the rebellion, the county's planters sought refuge in Jerusalem and the state militia used Vaughn's tavern as its base of operation.Lewes, David; Hanbury, Mary Ruffin (November 2019).
National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Courtland Historic District
(PDF). ''Virginia Department of Historic Resources''. pp. Section 8.42. Retrieved March 18, 2023. However, a

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...

newspaper criticized Vaughn for charging the state $800 for militia expenses. Three years after the rebellion, the county's leaders approved the construction of a new brick courthouse. Jeremiah Cobb and Clement Rochell constructed the courthouse for $2,500.34. In 1835, ''Martin's Gazetteer of Virginia'' said the town included "25 houses, four stores, a saddlery, a carriage maker, two hotels, a masonic hall, and two houses of public entertainment (taverns)." Despite its modest population of 175 people, the town became crowded when the court was in session. Courtland-MahonesTavern

In 1839, Vaughn sold his tavern to Fielding J. Mahone, giving it the name Mahone's Tavern. Mahone purchased the adjacent Hart Tavern and connected the two with a breezeway. Mahone's teenage son moved to Jerusalem with the family. He is better known as

Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

Major General

William Mahone William Mahone (December 1, 1826October 8, 1895) was a Confederate States Army general, civil engineer, railroad executive, prominent Virginia Readjuster Party, Readjuster and ardent supporter of former slaves. He later represented Virginia in th ...

who served in the

Virginia House of Delegates The Virginia House of Delegates is one of the two houses of the Virginia General Assembly, the other being the Senate of Virginia. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbe ...

, as Petersburg mayor, and as a

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

. In 1853, the town was connected to Petersburg via the Jerusalem Plank Road, essentially today's Virginia State Route 35.Lewes, David; Hanbury, Mary Ruffin (November 2019).
National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Courtland Historic District
(PDF). ''Virginia Department of Historic Resources''. pp. Section 8.43. Retrieved March 18, 2023. The Nottoway River also was a mode of transportation. The town was accessed from the south by a wooden bridge over the Nottoway that led to Rochelle Stree, just south of the courthouse. The town was not the site of any military conflicts during the Civil War; however, troops passed through Jerusalem during the Siege of Suffolk and used Mahone's Tavern and the Baptist church as temporary hospitals. Deceased soldiers were buried in a graveyard behind the church. After the Civil War, the town stagnated, probably due to the loss of enslaved labor in the surrounding area. However, nearly freed African Americans started participating in the political process after gaining the right to vote.Lewes, David; Hanbury, Mary Ruffin (November 2019).
National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Courtland Historic District
(PDF). ''Virginia Department of Historic Resources''. pp. Section 8.44-45. Retrieved March 18, 2023. A crowd of African Americans assembled in the town on June 21, 1867, for a speech by Thomas Jefferson Pretlow, who twice served as one of the county's representatives in the Virginia House of Delegates. Josephine Howard acquired Mahone's Tavern in 1869, renaming it "Howard's Hotel". It continued to host many social gatherings, including a new tradition of a medieval-style tournament that featured colorful costumes, jousting on horseback, and a dinner and dance at the hotel. Jerusalem became a stop on the Atlantic and Danville Railway in 1888, allowing residents to ride the train to Petersburg and

Norfolk Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...

for business and shopping. The railroad led to rapid growth and change in the town. The town petitioned the state to change its name to Courland. Postmistress Fannie Barnett suggested the name change after town residents were teased in Norfolk as being "those Arabs from Jerusalem". The General Assembly charted Courtland in 1888; this legislation expanded the town boundary and defined a new town government with an elected mayor and a council of six who could issue business licenses and levy local taxes. With the railroad, Courtland became a center for processing and warehousing agricultural produce such as peanuts and cotton from the surrounding county. The north–south oriented railroad was built on land owned by the Kindred family who divided their tract into lots near the railroad. New warehouses were built adjacent to the tracks as early as 1888 and were available for lease to local farmers and businesses. The post office was relocated beside the railroad. The bridge across the Nottoway was moved away from the center of town in the late 19th century, aligning with the existing bridge on U.S. Route 58 Business that parallels the railroad tracks. The Birdsong Storage Company began a peanut milling plant in Courtland at the turn of the 20th century. A fertilizer plant opened alongside the railroad. In 1928 and 1929, the Courtland

Rosenwald School The Rosenwald School project built more than 5,000 schools, shops, and teacher homes in the United States primarily for the education of African-American children in the South during the early 20th century. The project was the product of the partn ...

was built on the north side of Courtland for $4,000. The

Rosenwald Fund The Rosenwald Fund (also known as the Rosenwald Foundation, the Julius Rosenwald Fund, and the Julius Rosenwald Foundation) was established in 1917 by Julius Rosenwald and his family for "the well-being of mankind." Rosenwald became part-owner of ...

donated $500, the county contributed $2,500, and the town's African American community raised $1,00. Courtland experienced two large fires in 1934 and 1935, damaging many historic structures and resulting in new buildings being added to the downtown commercial district.Lewes, David; Hanbury, Mary Ruffin (November 2019).
National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Courtland Historic District
(PDF). ''Virginia Department of Historic Resources''. pp. Section 8.47. Retrieved March 18, 2023. The Southampton County Training School opened outside of Courtland in 1937, providing the first access to grades 8 through 12 for African Americans in the county.Lewes, David; Hanbury, Mary Ruffin (November 2019).
National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Courtland Historic District
(PDF). ''Virginia Department of Historic Resources''. pp. Section 8.48. Retrieved March 18, 2023. (Its name was changed to Riverview High School in 1963). In 1947, the Hancock Peanut Company opened a processing facility outside town and employed 77 people; its founder invented the peanut shelling machine in 1944. However, the railroad service ended after the 1970s, and the railroad depot was demolished.

Geography

Courtland is located at (36.715702, -77.066063). The town is the geographic center of Southampton County and the north shore of the Nottoway River that flows northwest to southeast. Courtland is located around the intersection of

U.S. Route 58 U.S. Route 58 (US 58) is an east–west U.S. Highway that runs for from U.S. Route 25E just northwest of Harrogate, Tennessee, to U.S. Route 60 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Until 1996, when the Cumberland Gap Tunnel opened, US 58 ran on ...

Business (Main Street), which runs roughly north–south, and U.S. Route 58 (Meherrin Road), which intersects from the west. Courtland is in the

Tidewater region Tidewater is a region in the Atlantic Plains of the United States located east of the Atlantic Seaboard fall line (the natural border where the tidewater meets with the Piedmont region) and north of the Deep South. The term "tidewater" can be ...

with flat, sandy lands. East of Courtland is the swampy, forested river margin of the

. The area surrounding the town consists of agricultural fields and scattered woodlands and swamps. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

In 2020, the population of Courland was 1,679 people. Its racial makeup was 52% White, 41.2% African American, 4.41% from two or more races, 0.119% Asian, and other non-Hispanic 0.357%. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.91%. At the 2000 Census, the town's population was 1,270 people, with 460 households and 300 families. The population density was 1,373.2 people per square mile (533.0/km²). There were 498 housing units at an average density of 538.5 per square mile (209.0/km²). Its racial makeup was 52.28% White, 47.01% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.08% Asian, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.24%. Of the 460 households, 33.9% had children under the age of eighteen years living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 20.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 32.6% of households were one person, and 17.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.35, and the average family size was 2.96. The age distribution was 23.1% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.

Economy

Courtland is historically a town driven by the county's agriculture, especially cotton, peanuts, tobacco, and the production of hams. Peanuts and soybeans became the chief cash crops in the second half of the 20th century. The Hancock Peanut Company continues to operate as part of the larger Severn Peanut Company. Belmont Peanuts, Ferdies/The Peanut Patch, and Parkers Peanuts are some of the other peanut processors in Courtland. These businesses are part of the Peanut Trail, an agrotourism venture. There is also an active fertilizer factory in Courtland. In 2020, the median household income was $50,529, with 17.6% living below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

. Males had a median income of $50,000 versus $22,031 for females. The median property value was $187,200 with 53.3% of Courtland's residents owning their own home. In the 2000 census, the median household income was $31,750, and the median family income was $43,229. Males had a median income of $34,464 versus $20,714 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,474. About 19.2% of families and 21.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.6% of those under age 18 and 22.1% of those aged 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Arts facilities and museums

* Cattashowrock Town, cultural center and museum of the Cheroenhaka (Nottoway) Indian Tribe * Historic Courtland Walking Tour * Mahone's Tavern & Museum * Museum of Southampton History * Rawls Museum Arts, visual arts exhibitions * Rochelle-Prince House is a historic house owned and operated by the Southampton County Historical Society * Southampton Agriculture and Forestry Museum/Southampton Heritage Village * Peanut Trail: Salty Southern Route

Festivals and events

The Cheroenhaka (Nottoway) Indian Tribe holds its annual Native American Revival in September. For more than thirty years, the tribe has held its annual Corn Harvest Powwow and School Day. The Southampton County Historical Society hosts a Heritage Day annually at its Southampton Agriculture and Forestry Museum and Southampton Heritage Village, featuring living history demonstrations, displays, crafts, and re-enactments.

Architecture

The Courtland Historic District was established by the Virginia Landmark Register on December 12, 2019, and the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

on March 19, 2020. It encompasses 284 contributing resources and in the north half of the town, along the east bank of Nottoway River, essentially running along Main Street/U.S. Route 58 Business. The district includes the courthouse, churches, commercial buildings, and residences in the

American Craftsman American Craftsman is an American domestic architectural style, inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, which included interior design, landscape design, applied arts, and decorative arts, beginning in the last years of the 19th century. ...

Colonial Revival The Colonial Revival architectural style seeks to revive elements of American colonial architecture. The beginnings of the Colonial Revival style are often attributed to the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, which reawakened Americans to the arch ...

, Federal,

Italianate The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style combined its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century It ...

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

, Minimal Traditional, Queen Anne,

Tudor Revival Tudor Revival architecture, also known as mock Tudor in the UK, first manifested in domestic architecture in the United Kingdom in the latter half of the 19th century. Based on revival of aspects that were perceived as Tudor architecture, in rea ...

, and

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literatur ...

architectural styles. Churches in the historic district are all from the 20th century and include the Gothic Revival St. Luke's Episcopal and First Baptist; the latter was originally framed but now has a brick veneer.Lewes, David; Hanbury, Mary Ruffin (November 2019).
National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Courtland Historic District
(PDF). ''Virginia Department of Historic Resources''. pp. Section 7: 7. Retrieved March 18, 2023. Built in 1906, St. Luke's has large, stained glass winders and a steeple clad in wooden shingles. Adjacent to St. Luke's, Courtland United Methodist was built in Colonial Revival style and has a central tower. Courtland Baptist is a Romanesque Revival brick structure. The David Temple AME Zion was built in 1966 on the west side of town and does not follow a revival style. The town's main cemetery, Riverside Cemetery, was originally associated with St. Luke's. The one-acre Helping Hand Cemetery is located on the north side of Courtland and was opened for African Americans in 1897. This historic district also included the Mahone-Manry cemetery, a private plot behind the Seven Gables house, and a Confederate burial ground behind the Courtland Baptist Church.The Southampton County Courthouse was built in June 1834 in a modest version of the Jeffersonian Classical style. The brick structure includes a Colonial Revival style pediment and four-columned portico were added in 1924. Located across from the courthouse on Main Street, Mahone's Tavern was built around 1796 in the

Federal style Federal-style architecture is the name for the classical architecture built in the United States following the American Revolution between 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815, which was influenced heavily by the works of And ...

. The two-story tavern is built on a hall-parlor plan and has a balcony over the front door, as well as a two-story inset porch. Next door to Mahone's Tavern, the Bell House is decorated with sawn trim and other folk Victorian elements.Lewes, David; Hanbury, Mary Ruffin (November 2019).
National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Courtland Historic District
(PDF). ''Virginia Department of Historic Resources''. pp. Section 7.9. Retrieved March 18, 2023. Across Main Street from the courthouse, the Rochelle-Prince House was built in 1814 and expanded in 1817. It has been restored with a shake shingle roof by the Southampton County Historical Society. Located on Main Street near Courtland United Methodist, Seven Gables is a house that has been expanded. The Briggs-Manry house also dates to but was moved from its original location. Also moved to its current location in Courtland, the Rebecca Vaughan House is a three-bay frame dwelling dating to . Originally located in Southampton County, the Vaughn House was moved to the Southampton Agriculture & Forestry Museum and Heritage Village in 2004 and restored for its connection to Nat Turner's rebellion. The core of Coutland's business district consists of early 20th-century one and two-story buildings facing Main Street. The Courtland Town Hall is a former brick service station dating to . The Masonic Lodge is also located along Main Street; it is a two-story frame building that dates to the late 19th century. Along the railroad is an abandoned Birdsong peanut processing facility with a large warehouse and silos. The Courland Rosenwald School, built in 1928 and 1929, is restored as a community center. It is an example of the “Two Teacher Community School, To Face East or West Only (Floor Plan No. 20)" standardized Rosenwald school designs by architect Samuel Smith.Lewes, David; Hanbury, Mary Ruffin (November 2019).
National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Courtland Historic District
(PDF). ''Virginia Department of Historic Resources''. pp. Section 7: 8. Retrieved March 18, 2023. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Mahone's Tavern, the Rochelle-Prince House, and the Rebecca Vaughan House are also listed on the

Parks and recreation

The Nottoway River Board Landing in Courland provides access to fishing and boating on the Nottoway River.

Government

Courtland is the county seat of Southampton County. The county is governed by an elected Board of Supervisors that includes seven members. The Southampton County Courthouse is located in Courtland and houses the 5th Judicial Circuit of Virginia.

Education

Public schools

Southampton County Public Schools system is located in Courtland. Its schools in Courtland include Riverdale Elementary which serves grades Pre-K through 5, Southampton Middle serving grades 6 through 8, and Southampton High School which serves grades 9 through 12.

Private schools

Southampton Academy is a private school in Courtland that serves grades Pre-K through 12.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Courtland and the adjacent county rely on its road and highway network. Courtland includes the junction of Virginia State Route 35 (SR35) and

(US58), the main thoroughfare that extends across Virginia south of the

James River The James River is a river in Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows from the confluence of the Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers in Botetourt County U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowli ...

. US 58 Business becomes Courland's Main Street and SR35 is called Meherrim Road. US58 Business provides the main bridge across the Nottoway River into Courtland from the south. Main Street runs southeast and becomes Jerusalem Road/US58 Business which merges back to US58. The Coutland bypass which separates US58 and the US58 Business removed a significant amount of traffic through the center of Courtland. SR 35 is designated as a Virginia Byway for its aesthetic, historical, and cultural value. It continues through Southampton County for forty miles to Interstate 95.

Norfolk Southern Railway The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States. Headquartered in Atlanta, the company was formed in 1982 with the merger of the Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. The comp ...

and

CSX Corporation CSX Corporation is an American holding company focused on rail transportation and real estate in North America, among other industries. The company was established in 1980 as part of the Chessie System and Seaboard Coast Line Industries merge ...

provide freight and piggyback rail services to Southampton County; the railroad junction crosses Route 58 in Courtland and runs north to south.

Utilities

The Southampton County Department of Public Utilities provides sewer service to Courtland; a waste treatment plant is located outside of the town. The town's water is provided by a separate system. Dominion Energy and the Community Electric Coop provide electricity for Courtland.

Services

The Courtland Volunteer rescue squad provides fire and first responder services.

Notable people

* Jim Gillette, professional

American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...

halfback * John J. Kindred, physician and congressman *

civil engineer A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructure while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing i ...

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...

executive,

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

general, and

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

politician

References

{{Authority control Towns in Southampton County, Virginia County seats in Virginia Populated places established in 1791 1791 establishments in Virginia Nat Turner Towns in Virginia