Bill Text: VA SJR198 | 2024 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending the Town of Louisa.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2024-03-07 - Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ198ER) [SJR198 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2024-SJR198-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, the Town of Louisa, a vibrant community in Central Virginia and the county seat of Louisa County, was chartered more than 150 years ago; and
WHEREAS, Louisa County, named for Princess Louisa, the daughter of King George II and Queen Caroline of England, was founded in 1742, and the county seat, then known as Louisa Courthouse, was established in 1757; and
WHEREAS, in its early years, county residents would travel to Louisa Courthouse for monthly court sessions, while travelers would pass through the area on their way between Richmond and Charlottesville; and
WHEREAS, a local tavern in Louisa Courthouse posted legal notices, distributed mail and newspapers, sold small stocks of necessities, and provided a place of fellowship for the community; and
WHEREAS, Patrick Henry, who regularly practiced law in Louisa Courthouse, represented Louisa County in the House of Burgesses from 1765 to 1768; the Louisa County community fully supported the American Revolution, led by local heroes like Dabney Carr and Jack Jouett; and
WHEREAS, a postal road was constructed in 1800 along what is now State Route 208, which connected villages between the Rappahannock River and the James River until the landmark establishment of the Louisa Railroad in 1838; the railroad became a major factor in the growth of the community over the next several decades; and
WHEREAS, in June 1864, during the American Civil War, the Battle of Trevilian Station took place near Louisa, and the site has been preserved by the Trevilian Station Battlefield Foundation; and
WHEREAS, by the early 1870s, the village around Louisa Courthouse had grown to 250 residents, enough to justify incorporation of the Town of Louisa on March 8, 1873; the first meeting of the Louisa Town Council was held that day to discuss bylaws and local ordinances; and
WHEREAS, Louisa continued to grow and thrive, until 1888 when a tragic fire wiped out the east side of Main Street and paralyzed the town's business district; the long rebuilding process was accompanied by the installation of town water systems and other enhancements, along with the arrival in 1921 of what was then State Route 39, the first hard-surfaced road in town history; and
WHEREAS, from the late 1890s through the 1920s, Louisa earned a reputation as a summer resort town, where people from Richmond and the Virginia Peninsula came to enjoy country living away from the heat and humidity of the cities; and
WHEREAS, Louisa is home to numerous historic buildings, including four churches that existed at the time of the town's incorporation, as well as the 1905 Louisa County Courthouse, the 1907 Louisa High School building, and Boxley Place, a historic home dating to 1860; and
WHEREAS, in the modern era, Louisa has remained the chief commercial, legal, and professional center for all of Louisa County; since the 1870s, the town has grown through annexation multiple times, including the most recent expansion in 1977, which more than tripled the town's acreage and increased the population by 50 percent; and
WHEREAS, the Louisa community officially commemorated the 150th anniversary of the town charter during a special celebration on September 30, 2023; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Town of Louisa on the occasion of its 150th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Liz Nelson, town manager, and Garland Nuckols, mayor of the Town of Louisa, as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for the town's rich history and legacy of contributions to the region and the Commonwealth.
