Summerseat
Historic Summerseat
c. 1860 Summerseat
According to tradition and local lore, in the 19th Century the house was used by a county judge and took its name because the magistrate used this house in the summer to hold court. The county roads were too muddy and rutted to travel so he did the court’s business from this house. It became another “seat” of the government much like the newest courthouse at the corner of Courthouse and Ironbridge Roads. According to Jeffrey Odell, the author of “Chesterfield County, Early Architecture and Historic Sites”, the structure is a one roomed variation on the so-called “raised cottage” house form.It has a low hipped roof and sits on a grade level basement. As small structures go, this c. 1860 house has an appeal for its unique style. There is no other house like it in Chesterfield County or Virginia.
If the “traditionally held story “is true, Chesterfield County can now add another mystery to its number of jails and courthouses that have dotted the County landscape. The lower, brick portion of the house was used as the jail or detention center, which held prisoners or those persons awaiting trial. The "jail bars", which were on the lower level outside door, are now held in storage by VSU. It is not a large building at 18 feet by 16 feet. It can be seen by the road and only a few feet off Chesterfield Avenue in Ettrick, Chesterfield County, VA. Here is the small historic house referred to as “Summerseat”.
The house is part of Virginia State University and was slated to be bulldozed for a parking lot. The Ettrick community formed a committee of concerned county citizens who negotiated with VSU and it has been spared. Standing back at the road, one could picture a steady stream of miscreants standing before a county magistrate waiting their “just due” or the county constable placing them in the lower brick “jail” to await their turn for court. The house is not a large building. You can also picture General Robert E. Lee's army on its retreat to Appomattox. They may have stopped briefly at this house. If not, the army certainly passed by the house.
Summerseat Description
According to Jeffrey Odell, the author of “Chesterfield County, Early Architecture and Historic Sites”, the structure is a one roomed variation on the so-called “raised cottage” house form. It has a low hipped roof and sits on a grade level basement. As small structures go, this c. 1860 house has an appeal for its unique style. There is probably no other house like it in Chesterfield County. The lower brick portion of the house was the “jail or detention center”, complete with bars that held prisoners or those persons awaiting trial. If this traditionally held story is true, Chesterfield County can now add another mystery to its number of jails and courthouses that have dotted the County landscape.
The house is 18 feet 3 inches long and 16 feet 3 inches wide. It would have been an interesting court to observe. Summerseat is owned by Virginia State University who decided to keep the building for its own use. Community citizens became invoolved in a project to keep the building and restore it. The resuklt is a common ground reached by the VSU and the citizens. Summerseat has been saved and hopefully VSU will find a great use for the historical structure.
An Old Russian Proverb
“If you dwell in the Past, you lose an eye; if you forget the Past, you lose both eyes.”
In Summerseat, both Ettrick and Chesterfield County were close to losing "an eye". We do not plan to forget the past or fail to pass on to the next generation the great benefits of history. Summerseat was saved by a caring community and others from around the county. A special thanks to Sarah Snead, a former County Deputy Administrator and Tra Wagenecht, a CHSV Member who had a vision for saving the historic architectural structure in Etterick- the only one of its kind in Virginia. Summerseat survived, disrepair, vandalism and the bulldozer, thanks to these two wonderful persons and to the Ettrick Community. VSU is the better for their part and Summerseat will be there for the Ettrick Community for a long time.