Greensville County is named for Richard Grenville, who was the leader of the Settlement on Roanoke Island in 1585, or for Nathaniel Greene, who was a Major General of the Continental Army.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Dinwiddie County and Sussex County
E – Sussex County and Southampton County
S – Northampton County, North Carolina
W – Brunswick County
Surrounds Independent City - Emporia
Created: October 16, 1780 
County Seat:
Hicksford 1781 – 1887
Emporia 1887 – present
County Courthouse – Emporia
Location: 315 South Main Street / Hicksford Avenue
Built: 1831 – 1834
Style: Beaux Arts
Architect: Daniel Lynch
Contractor: Daniel Lynch
Description: The building faces west and is a two story white colored Flemish bond brick structure. The building is located on the landscaped grounds of the Courthouse Square consisting of the courthouse (1831), Clerk’s Office (1894) on the south side and County Administrator’s Office (1900 and 1907) on the north side. The west front has a large Tuscan portico with six fluted Ionic columns rising to a pediment at the roof line. The roof is hipped with a small octagonal cupola. The north and south wings are lower and have balustrades running along the roof line. In the interior, there are twin stairs in each of the wings which ascend to the second story where the courtroom is located at the center. The building houses the County General District Court and County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court of the 6th Judicial Circuit. In 1907, the portico was added and the wings raised to two story wings. In 1934, the rear wing was added giving the building an “H” shape. The building was renovated in 1961 and 1997.
Note: The Courthouse Square Complex consist of the courthouse, the Clerk’s Office on the south side and the Administrator’s Office on the north side, which is two former commercial building; the Greensville Bank ( 1900 ) and the Virginia Public Dervice Building ( 1907 ).
See: National Register of Historic Places – Greensville County Courthouse Complex
County Clerk’s Office – Emporia
Location: 337 South Main Street / Hicksford Avenue
Built: 1894 – 1895
Style: Georgian
Architect: Reuben Sherriff
Contractor: Southern Fireproof Company
Description: The building faces west and is a one story white colored Flemish bond brick structure. The building is part of the Courthouse Square Complex and is located on landscaped grounds on the south side of the courthouse. The west front has a small portico with two square pillars at the entrance. The roof is hipped. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 6th Judicial Circuit. The building was enlarged in 1916 and the Georgian façade added in 1961.
County Administrator’s Office – Emporia
Location: 301 South Main Street / Spriing Street
Built: 1900 and 1907
Style: Commercial
Architect: Unknown
Contractor: Unknown
Description: The building faces west and is a two story white colored Flemish bond brick structure. The building is part of the Courthouse Square Complex and is located on the north side of the courthouse. The building was constructed as the Greensville Bank Building and the Virginia Public Service Building built in 1907. The 1900 building has elaborate pressed-tin walls and ceilings mamnifaced by H J Klugel.
See: The 6th Judicial Circuit includes Brunswick County, Emporia, Hopewell, Prince George County, Surry County and Sussex County.
History: The county was created in 1781 and Hicksford was selected as the county seat. The court met in a local tavern. The first courthouse was built in 1787. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1831 to 1834. The towns of Hicksford and Belfield merged in 1887 to form Emporia.
County Courthouse - Emporia
County Clerk’s Office – Emporia
Photos taken 2013