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FEATURE

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Mega site protest 100 years and countingHistoric

heating up Chesterfield Courthouse celebrates with

Continued from page 1
intended to be an official statement.) Fort Lee on their 100 year anniversary
The Village News asked former BY DANIELLE OZBAT
Chesterfield Planning Director, Kirk Chesterfield County officials and courthouse, which was demolished This is a centennial year for Fort
Turner about the project. He indicated residents descended upon the Historic in 1916 and replaced with the current Lee, so 100 soldiers representing WWI
that the Mega site would have immense Courthouse Green last Thursday courthouse. The Historic 1917 draftees and displays of tactical vehicles
buffers as deep as 100 feet, although, to celebrate the 100th anniversary Courthouse is a Chesterfield County from the 508th Transportation Company
having been moved to revitalization, he of the Historic 1917 Courthouse. Historic Landmark, a Virginia Historic were present for the celebration and the Fort
may not have as much input as he once Led by Chesterfield Historical Landmark and on the National Register Lee 392nd Army Band performed.
did on the project. Society of Virginia co-chairs George of Historic Places. LTC Brain S. Neill, Battalion
“This would be a huge change to “Buddy” Cranford and Liess van der As part of the centennial Commander of 266th Quartermaster
the area,” said Karl Staffinger. “They Linden-Brusse, the centennial event celebration, the original 1749 Battalion, said Fort Lee and Chesterfield
have been talking about the E/W commemorated the day the cornerstone courthouse bell (the oldest historic County have had a strong relationship over
connector for years but it has not been for the courthouse was laid. artifact in the county and three years the last years and through many conflicts
with a railroad. We need your help, Two buildings sits on the older than the Liberty Bell) was and wars.
e-mail your friends about the Mega site. footprint of the original 1749 colonial removed from the cupola of the 1917 “We’ve maintained a relationship
courthouse. It was then cleaned and between Fort Lee and Chesterfield County
preserved before being placed on because at the end of the day, we’re all in
permanent display in the Chesterfield this together. Our children go to the same
County Museum as part of the “Ringing schools, we attend church together, we go to
in the Courthouse Centennial” exhibit. the same groceries and say hi, we live next
A replacement iron bell, which was door to you; it’s all one big mostly happy
made in 1860, was installed in the family,” Neill said. “I hope the next 100
cupola and was rung 100 times before years between Fort Lee and Chesterfield is
the event. as good as or better than the last 100 years.”
Lane B. Ramsey, retired The Chesterfield County 2017-2018
Chesterfield County Administrator and Centennial Committee has worked on this
the keynote speaker at the celebration, event for two years and is currently planning

said the courthouse was slightly over a celebration for the 100thanniversary of
a half-century old when he started Armistice Day for next year.
working for the county in 1972 and
that he has a lot of memories about the
courthouse.
“Over the years, all the repairs and
hard work that people did to keep this
facility active and viable, and all of it
was done to keep it a major landmark
in this community,”
Ramsey said. “All the 35
years I've worked for this
county, I've looked at
this building every day,
and I still drive by …
three or four times a day
and I always look over
at this beautiful building
standing here, so it’s
certainly is a landmark
and something we should
LANE RAMSEY FORMER COUNTY ADMINISISTRATOR WAS MASTER OF CERIMONIES. BELOW A PLACARD THE REPLACEMENT OF THE HISTORIC
PLACED TO EXPLAIN THE HISTORY OF THE COURTHOUSE. all be proud of.” BELL TO BE PLACED IN THE CHESTER-
FIELD MUSEUM

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