Battle of Yorktown

7. York County Historical Museum

Yorktown, VA

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York Hall on 301 Main Street, at the intersection of Main and Ballard, is a modern building that replaced four earlier courthouses, all of which were built on colonial lot 24. A planter by the name of Thomas Jefferson was the first owner of the land, but he either failed to develop it or forfeited the lot for another reason. The first courthouse was constructed on the site between 1696 and 1697. William Cary, a contractor, agreed to complete the work in exchange for 28,000 pounds of tobacco. The court met in the new courthouse for the first time in December 1697. This early structure was probably built of a local stone called marl, with a shingled roof. Over the years, many costly repairs were needed to maintain the original building, and discussion arose about erecting a new, larger courthouse around 1730. Robert Ballard completed work on the new courthouse around July 1733. This courthouse was apparently built more solidly than the first structure, because no major renovations were necessary until after the Siege of 1781. The French used the building as a hospital during 1781 and 1781, but researchers do not know how the British utilized the structure during their occupation. Unfortunately, damage to the building was severe. The interior needed a great deal of work, and all of the windows were destroyed. Repairs were made slowly as money and time permitted. The courthouse remained in use for seven more years, until a devastating fire tore through Yorktown on March 3, 1814 and demolished much of the city, including the courthouse. The third courthouse was erected in 1818, two years later. The new courthouse was a two-story brick building, covered in wooden shingles. The front of the building sported a columned porch, which could be seen in Matthew Brady's Civil War photographs. The Union army used the courthouse as a munitions storehouse during the war. On December 16th, 1863 the munitions exploded. The impact was strong enough to shift the foundations below the ground. It destroyed the courthouse, record office, jail, and the Swan Tavern across Main Street. The fourth courthouse was completed by February 1876. It remained in use until December 31, 1940, when an accidental chimney fire gutted the building. The fifth courthouse was dedicated in 1955, and was built to resemble the structure and design of the 1697 courthouse. The building currently houses the Gallery at York Hall, where local artists display and sell their work. The lower level is the home of the York County Historical Museum, where artifacts from Yorktown's 400-year past are on display.