Queen Anne's County Courthouse

Queen Anne's County Courthouse
General information
Architectural style	Federal
Location	100 Courthouse Square
Town or city	Centreville
Country	United States of America
Coordinates	39°2′43″N 76°3′56″W / 39.04528°N 76.06556°WCoordinates: 39°2′43″N 76°3′56″W / 39.04528°N 76.06556°W
Construction started	1791
Completed	1796
Client	Queen Anne's County

The Queen Anne's County Courthouse is the oldest courthouse still in use in the state of Maryland. The building houses the judge for the Queen Anne's County Circuit Court, the judge's chambers, a courtroom, a jurors' assembly room, clerks offices and a small detention lock-up.

History

The courthouse was authorized by acts of the Maryland General Assembly after the removal of the county seat from Queenstown to Chester Mills and then Centreville. It was erected between 1791 and 1796 on land purchased from Elizabeth Nicholson from her portion of the Chesterfield Estate, the estate of her grandfather, William Sweatman.^[1] Later, her father, Judge Nicholson became Chief Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit (then comprising Baltimore and Harford counties) and a judge of the Court of Appeals.^[2]

References

1. "The Courthouse, Queen Anne's County". Centreville, Md.: The Queen Anne County Commissioners. 1971.
2. "The Queen Anne's County Court House". The Maryland Judiciary. Retrieved 2008-05-07.