SUFFOLK, Va.— I recently stopped by the Suffolk Visitor Center to talk with Kevin Sary, the Tourism Development Specialist. He told me about some the exhibits showcasing things to do in Suffolk and the history of the building itself.
As soon as you step inside the Suffolk Visitor Center you are greeted by a five-foot-tall black bear. Part of a collection of critters you could see exploring the Great Dismal Swamp. On the other side, there is a display of Suffolk icons like Mr. Peanut.
"We have a timeline of Suffolk going all the way back to the Nansemond Indians all the way up to current day," said Sary.
But the real history of the visitor center is the building itself. This was the Nansemond County Courthouse, built in 1839. This is actually the third courthouse built at this location.
"The previous two had been destroyed by fire, once by the British in 1779," Sary told me. "And then there was another fire that occurred along Main Street in 1837."
A third fire in 1868 almost destroyed it, and you can see some of the charred bricks on display in the visitor center.
"I've been told that some of the local residents were going let the building burn, because all the tax documents were kept inside," Sary said.
But the former courthouse building lives on to promote the future of Suffolk while reminding us of the city’s fiery past.
The Suffolk Visitor Center is located at the corner of Main Street and Constance Road in Suffolk. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
