Louisa Court House Chapter
Organized in April 13, 1935
Louisa, Virginia
Lafayette and his troops were in Louisa in 1781 and it was from Cuckoo Tavern that Jack Jouett made his famous ride to Charlottesville to warn Governor Jefferson and the legislature of the approach of Tarleton. The mothers of Matthew Fontaine Maury and Admiral David Taylor were born in this county.
Among the interesting estates were Roundabout Plantation, where Patrick Henry lived from 1765 to 1768, representing the county in the House of Burgesses; Boswell's Tavern; and Byrd Mill, believed to be the oldest mill in the United States still in operation on a commercial basis. The waterpowered, stonegrinding mill, located about eight miles from Louisa Court House, was built in 1740, two years before Louisa County was formed.
The old Courthouse at Louisa was erected in 1818, and the present one erected on the site of the original one in 1904.
At one time all of the native gold in use in the American Colonies was produced by "panning" the sands of Gold Mine Creek in Louisa, and other small streams in adjoining counties.