Halifax County was formed in 1758 from Edgecombe County, it was named for George Montague-Dunk, the…read more2nd Earl of Halifax, who served as president of the British Board of Trade and Plantations. Before European settlement, the region was home to the Tuscarora people, whose presence shaped the early landscape until they were displaced by colonial expansion. Halifax County's most enduring claim to fame is the Halifax Resolves, adopted on April 12, 1776. This bold declaration empowered North Carolina's delegates to the Continental Congress to join other colonies in seeking independence from Britain. It was the first official action by any colony calling for independence, earning Halifax the motto "First in Freedom." That said, the Mecklenburg Resolves were adopted on May 31, 1775 in Charlotte North Carolina and were a precursor to the Halifax Resolves of 1776 and the Declaration of Independence itself. The current courthouse, located at 44 King Street in the town of Halifax, was built between 1909 and 1910 and stands as the third courthouse on that site. It is a striking example of Classical Revival style, with Late Victorian influences woven into its detailing. The building's most commanding feature is its tetrastyle Corinthian portico--four stately columns supporting a pedimented entrance that evokes the grandeur of ancient Rome. Crowning the structure is a two-stage cupola. Inside is a central hallway with high ceilings and wide corridors, designed to accommodate both foot traffic and the ceremonial weight of legal proceedings. The main courtroom is the architectural centerpiece. It features a raised judge's bench framed by classical pilasters and a decorative entablature, reinforcing the authority of the judicial process. The jury box and spectator seating are arranged with clear sightlines. [Review 927 of 2025 - 4331 in North Carolina - 24483 overall]

Pretty awesome today as I was able to not only tour the exterior but one of the sheriff's deputies…read moregave me a brief personal tour of the interior and one of the courtrooms. After passing through the magnetometer, of course. Designed by architect Albert L. West and built between 1882 and 1883, the courthouse has a Classical Revival architecture. It is notable for its red brick façade and symmetrical proportions. The most striking features include a central tower with a working clock and columned portico. Elizabeth City wasn't always the seat of Pasquotank County. From the 18th century onward, the seat moved from Brook Field to Relfe's Point, then Winfield, Nixonton, and finally Elizabeth Town in 1800 which was renamed to Elizabeth City. [Review 878 of 2025 - 4303 in North Carolina - 24435 overall]

Ok so it's a small town court house and yes it's a speed trap town but please don't get mad at them…read morefor enforcing the speed laws, you was speeding just like my son was lol can't get mad because out of all the time u got away with it and get caught once and have to waste a whole day to go there and deal with it, but the reason for the 4 is because it was a very fast process and far one the only thing I did not like was that they don't say anything about dress code my son was fine he always dressed to impress I was wearing dress shorts and they did not let me in the court house and there was a lot of people that had to go a buy pants or shirt women and men , but the courts officer at the door did say u can run to Walmart and buy some and come back took only about 25 extra minutes

This is a great historical attraction, but you have to know how to navigate it. The signs around…read morethe historical section are not great at all. We stayed a few miles away, so we drove in and parked at the visitors center (paid parking). Go inside the visitors center to get your passes & maps (make sure you get the clip passes as every person manning the doors at the different houses will ask). Go down to the bottom of the visitors center and catch the WATA bus to go into the historical section. We started at the governor's mansion and walked from there. You'll easily get 10,000 steps if you see the whole property, if you have mobility issues you definitely should rent a scooter (there are quite a few rental spots around the visitors center). You can take the WATA bus to most of the big attractions, but walking through really gives you the whole experience. We made the mistake of going on a 95° day in August and quickly realized there is little shade on property. Be prepared to be in direct sun most of the day. We had someone in our group who was hard of hearing using hearing aids, and it was quite hard to hear a lot of the tour guides in the buildings with the echoes. Emily in the governors mansion was the best tour guide by far. A must see attraction, but do your research and plan your trip before coming

Colonial Williamsburg should be so much easier to visit than it is…read more We visited as a family and were really looking forward to the experience, but left disappointed largely because the wayfinding is so poor. The printed map is surprisingly difficult to use, directional signage is inadequate, and it is often unnecessarily hard to work out where you are and how to get to the next attraction or program. And it wasn't just us. I lost count of how many visitors we saw standing staring at maps, apparently trying to figure out where to go next. This was especially frustrating because someone in our party has limited mobility following recent surgery. Walking several hundred yards in the wrong direction isn't just an inconvenience in that situation. In 2026, a major attraction covering an area this large should have proper smartphone navigation. You should be able to select "Governor's Palace," a particular program, restaurant, restroom, or bus stop and get GPS walking directions from your current location, along with distance, accessibility information, and estimated walking time. Better physical directional signs are badly needed as well. There is so much history here and clearly an enormous amount of work goes into preserving and interpreting it. The problem is finding it. Colonial Williamsburg could be a wonderful visitor experience. Unfortunately, today we spent far too much time trying to figure out where we were and where we were supposed to go. This is a very fixable problem, and I hope they fix it.

Not necessarily a place you want to be if your not a player and a puppet in the system. Players…read morework there, puppets are obligated by law to appear. I had never been inside a court room until recently after receiving a traffic citation and wanting to fight it. The location is not desirable for most who reside in Virgina Beach. It's in building 10 in the city complex off Princess Anne road west of town. Parking is by lot, or street and free. The entrance is important to note because it changed to front (North) only. So ideally you want to be on the main entrance side. No fire arms, explosives etc in the building. They have airport type of security with a wand. All cellphones must be put in a locker at a cost of 50 cents, they have a machine that has change, but it did not work for me on one of my visits. The staff was pleasant to deal with on my two times visits. Especially Mrs. Wilburn who is an older lady who assisted me with a locker. There are monitors that tell you which room to go to on a scrolling screen with your name. Hey your famous, you made the big time. I found the common areas, as well as court rooms clean and even inviting if that's possible. Our tax dollars are paying for the up keep and I was impressed. You will observe all types of people from law enforcement, to attorneys, to witnesses to those compelled to appear in front of the judge. Virginia Beach has a nice court system. If your a player and this is where you find yourself often then I can see it being a comfortable place to conduct business. If your a puppet then good luck. I hope to not return anytime in the near future. However, it was nice to walk out of the building a winner.

Lazy unmotivated workers close office before end of workday. They are also poorly trained and can…read moreprovide little to no assistance outside of basic functions.

Johnston County's Courthouse was completed in 1921 and is a three-story frame building in the…read moreClassical Revival style. It has a four column portico and a stone balustrade at the roofline. There is recessed entrance a large vertical windows on the second and third stories. The roof line is flat. In the interior, the main courtroom is located on the third story and has a balcony on the rear side. Johnston County was formed in 1746 and Clayton was selected as the county seat with the county's first courthouse. The seat was moved to Smithfield in 1771 and the new courthouse was built here. A third courthouse was built in 1786 and then a fourth in 1843. This one is the fifth and is considered "the old courthouse" as the current one was built in the 1980s. There is a Civil War marker on the front steps - General William T Sherman used the 1771 courthouse as his headquarters on his march toward Raleigh. On April 12th 1865 Sherman received a telegram from General Ulysses S Grant informing him of General Robert E Lee's surrender at Appomattox while in Smithfield. There is also a WWI memorial with a "doughboy" holding his rifle "In memory of the illustrious dead of Johnston County who died in the Great World War 1917-1919" with a list of names. [Review 328 of 2024 - 3584 in North Carolina - 21362 overall]

We drove out here from Raleigh for their passport services. I called last week and was able to…read moresecure appointment which was amazing!! The lady in the Register of Deeds awesome was fantastic and the entire process was seamless and we were done in 15mins. I would totally recommend calling this location to make appointment.!!!!!

The Chowan County Courthouse was completed in 1767 and is the oldest courthouse still in active use…read morein North Carolina. The courthouse's design is attributed either to John Hawks, architect of Tryon Palace in New Bern, or Gilbert Leigh, a local builder. It features a T-shaped layout with Flemish bond brickwork, a central courtroom, and a second-floor assembly room often referred to as a ballroom. The building has a two-stage wooden cupola with a weathervane atop the structure, reflecting classical British architectural influences. During the Revolutionary era, the courthouse was a hub of political and legal activity. Figures such as Joseph Hewes (a signer of the Declaration of Independence), James Iredell (later a U.S. Supreme Court Justice), and Samuel Johnston (Governor and U.S. Senator) practiced law and held meetings there. It is one of the most impressive buildings in Edenton and well worth a stop. [Review 838 of 2025 - 4268 in North Carolina - 24397 overall]

Tons of history in this building! Very cool to stand on original stone floors that were imported…read morefrom Britain. It's still an active courtroom and we learned that the NC Supreme Court holds court here once in a while. You can walk around freely and sit in the judge's seat which was a cool experience. The guided tour with Lucas was fun and informative.

I just had the HONOR to tour this BEAUTIFUL Historical Park. I am an Army Combat Veteran and by me…read morehaving the Honor to walk where there were Thousands if NOT Hundreds of Thousands Soldiers who marched into the Heat of Battle to stop the clutch and horrors of Slavery. The Battle sites is what I first went to view and yeah it hits you hard at all of the losses we had. Then I went to the Appomattox Court House and toured the grounds. Amazing place to take your kids there and to hear all of the History that we don't want to lose. To me, it was an Honor to walk where Victory for our Soldiers and our Country. I would for sure drive another 15 hours from Louisiana to go and Tour the grounds again.

The Appomattox Court House NHP is a fraud! Ok here me out. I am somewhat of a history nerd but…read morethink broad strokes not necessarily on a micro level. Anyway, when I arrived, I went into the visitor's center like one always should when visiting a National Park. One of the Park Rangers started telling me about the property. "Currently you are standing in the Appomattox Court House......absolutely nothing happened in here! The surrender was just a football field's length away at the McLean House." What!? Why is it named after the courthouse then? Anyway, all jokes aside the place is great. As stated, the visitor's center is located inside the old courthouse and has the standard gift shop, museum, and movie theatre. Outside there are several buildings that include a bookstore, a Tavern, The Mclean House and several others. The Mclean House was actually torn down at one point and then rebuilt. The house is set up to look like it did then when Lee surrendered to Grant. While the Mclean house is the main attraction to the park, there are plenty of battlefields, markers and hiking trails around to explore. So why only 4 stars, well name it the Mclean House National Historic Park and I will give it another star.