Itinerant architect Bryan designed courthouses throughout the southern states at the turn of the twentieth century. Here he reworked a Second Empire-influenced red brick courthouse of 1874. The courthouse's square tower was removed, it was reclad in buff-colored brick, wings were added, and a double-height four-column pedimented Doric portico was applied in front of the original mansard roof. The transformation brought the building more into line with traditional classically inspired Virginia courthouses.