The Charles Hamilton Houston Courthouse in Leesburg has officially joined the ranks of the nation’s most treasured historic sites. On December 13, 2024, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland finalized its designation as a National Historic Landmark, alongside 18 other sites. The recognition is the highest federal honor for a property’s historical or architectural significance.
The courthouse, located in the heart of Leesburg at the Loudoun County Courthouse Complex, was built in 1894. Despite some interior changes in 1956, the building retains much of its original integrity, including the courtroom furnishings and the iconic iron gates outside. This authenticity played a key role in the designation by the National Park Service (NPS).
The courthouse’s designation follows a local push to highlight its significance. Just this past summer, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors held a ceremony naming the building after Charles Hamilton Houston, a trailblazing civil rights attorney. Known as the “Man Who Killed Jim Crow,” Houston led a historic defense during the 1933–1934 George Crawford trial.
Houston and his all-Black legal team, organized by the NAACP, defended Crawford, who was accused of murdering two white women in Middleburg. The case was pivotal, exposing the injustice of all-white juries and showcasing the expertise of Black attorneys. The trial became a cornerstone in the NAACP’s fight to challenge segregation through federal law.
The courthouse’s historic courtroom remains much as it was during that trial. Its preservation, coupled with the role the trial played in advancing civil rights, makes the courthouse a lasting symbol of both Loudoun County’s and the nation’s complex history.
This designation solidifies the courthouse as not only a local landmark but also a national one, reminding us of the progress driven by individuals like Houston.
