Will attract visitors and drive economic growth
Contributed by Tricia Johnson, executive director, Fluvanna Historical Society
Fluvanna County and the Fluvanna Historical Society are thrilled by a $785,504 grant recently awarded for the restoration of the historic Fluvanna County courthouse. This funding, provided through the Virginia 250 Preservation Fund, was announced by Gov. Glenn Youngkin as part of a $20 million initiative to support historic preservation projects across the Commonwealth. The goal is to complete the renovation by July of 2026 in anticipation of the increase in historic tourism due to the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the country.
The Fluvanna grant is one of only 35 to be awarded out of 227 applications that were submitted.
Built in 1830 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the courthouse is an architectural gem of significance in the Commonwealth and the country. Designed by General John Hartwell Cocke of Bremo, a protégé of Thomas Jefferson, the courthouse is distinguished as the first of Virginia’s important Classical antebellum collection to use a Greek order for its prominent columns.
Kathleen Kilpatrick, a board member of the historical society and chair of the Fluvanna VA250 Committee, wrote the complex grant application. Kilpatrick said called the courthouse “…a model of public architecture for the young republic. Our courthouse still stands as a stellar Virginia example for the nation.”
Jennifer Schmack, the county’s director of economic development, said, “preserving this architectural treasure not only honors our rich history but also enhances our ability to attract visitors and drive economic growth.” Schmack noted that this effort ties in neatly with the county’s Tourism Strategic Plan and the “Find Fluvanna” initiative.
This project builds on years of collaboration between Fluvanna County and the Fluvanna Historical Society, which spearheaded the development of a Historical Structure Report that guided the restoration planning. The grant will be used for a comprehensive exterior restoration, to stabilize the interior stair balustrade, as well as to update the mechanical and electrical systems to preserve the building.
“This grant award is a monumental step forward for Fluvanna County,” said Christopher Fairchild, chairman of the Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors. “It not only underscores the historical importance of our courthouse but also ensures that future generations will be able to appreciate it.”
The courthouse’s story is deeply interwoven with the history of the community. Its construction was built with the labor of enslaved craftsmen from Bremo. Horace Scruggs, vice president of the historical society said, “the use of John Hartwell Cocke’s enslaved skilled workers in the construction of this building connects it to the African-American community, and to the broader story of the many significant contributions made by enslaved craftsmen and workers to building Fluvanna and its wealth and prominence in Central Virginia.” Scruggs emphasized that “as a descendant of those enslaved at Bremo, this project is especially important to me, as it will be to others, whose ancestors and their important contributions are acknowledged.”
Andrew Marshall, preservation architect with John Milner Associates and project manager for this effort, said “the size of the grant, one of the largest in the program, will allow the project to address many key deficiencies, including the unsightly stucco on the front columns, while also creating a better visitor experience ahead of the 250th anniversary and for decades to come.”
Fluvanna Historical Society President Marvin Moss, said, “we are very proud that we continue our active partnership with the county for the benefit of its historic resources and the education and enjoyment of our citizens and visitors.”
The Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors has since 2018 earmarked a total of $712,803 toward this project. The historical society and the county have collaboratively won funding from the General Assembly in the amount of $310,000 in addition to the VA 250 grant award. Combined with $41,810 raised independently by the historical society through fundraisers and private donations, a total of $1,850,117 is currently available for this effort.
For more information on the courthouse restoration project, contact Jennifer Schmack at jschmack@fluvannacounty.org or for information on the Fluvanna Historical Society, contact Kathleen Kilpatrick at fluvannahistory@gmail.com.
