06/11/2026
"Wait... is Appomattox Court House the courthouse?"
Not exactly.
This is one of the most common points of confusion for visitors.
Historically, many Virginia communities were named after the county courthouse that served as the center of local government. When people said they were "going to the court house," they often meant the entire village or community that grew up around the courthouse—not just the building itself.
That's why Appomattox Court House originally referred to the village that served as the county seat of Appomattox County.
In 1865, that village became famous as the site of the meeting between Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee that led to the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia and effectively ended the Civil War. The village was later preserved as what is now Appomattox Court House National Historical Park.
The modern Town of Appomattox is nearby but separate. In fact, after the railroad arrived, the community shifted closer to the tracks, and the old county seat gradually declined.
So when you visit Appomattox Court House today, you're visiting a historic village—not just a courthouse building.
Have you ever wondered why so many places in Virginia end with "Court House"?