Northampton Historic Preservation Society

Grant: $35,000 to Help Complete Restoration of Historic 1907 Jail in Eastville

The Northampton Historic Preservation Society (NHPS) mission is to preserve the historic heritage of properties primarily in Northampton County, Virginia, through education, advocacy, and restoration activities. The NHPS received nonprofit 501(c)3 status in 2014, but operated as the Northampton Branch of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (APVA, now Preservation Virginia) for 100 years before becoming an independent nonprofit.

The 1907 Jail is located  in the Northampton County Courthouse Historic District (DHR #214-0007), created in 1971. The District was also inducted into the National Register of Historic Places on March 16, 1972 (NRHP 72001410). Preservation Virginia included the Courthouse District on their 2015 “Most Endangered Historic Places” list. In 2018, after the demolition of the 1914 Jail, NHPS focused on saving the 1907 Jail from destruction. NHPS entered a long-term renewable lease with the County for use of the 1907 Jail as a museum (at no cost to NHPS). NHPS efforts to save and restore the 1907 Jail have enabled Northampton County and Virginia to preserve the last remaining building exemplifying major changes in the progressions of prisoner incarceration in America since the Colonial era.

The jail building restoration was 80% complete with support from a $50,000 Challenge Grant from The Cabell Foundation Grant, NHPS donations and in-kind volunteer work. Prior work involved cleaning out and gutting the building, replacing the roof with metal, repointing or replacing the masonry, patching the unique cement ceiling and floor and installing new energy-efficient windows.

In Fall 2024, ESVCF approved a $35,000 grant to support Phase 3 of the construction process and complete the restoration in time to meet expected Virginia250 visitation to historic Eastville, culminating in 2026 Semiquincentennial commemoration activities.

Summer 2025 Project Update: The Northampton Historic Preservation Society (NHPS) was pleased to announce the Grand Opening of the restored 1907 Jail Museum on the historic Northampton Court Green with a ribbon cutting on June 27 and  an Open House Weekend on June 28th and 29th, 2025. The main exhibit entitled "Stories from Northampton’s Jails" explores events that occurred in 1776, 1889, and 1922 that led to local people becoming inmates of one of the many Northampton jails.Visitors can also view displays illustrating the history of the 1907 Jail and all the other jails that once stood on the historic Court Green dating back to the 1600s. In addition, a section of the museum provides visitors with information for genealogy and general research at the nearby Northampton Clerk's Office which holds records dating back to 1632.