Explore Montross

The Montross Historic District runs as a linear historic district through the town along Route 3, also known as Kings Highway. Its center is the courthouse and courthouse lawn dating from the early 20th century. Both are located at the site of a colonial-era courthouse built around 1685. This makes it possible to distinguish two periods at the same historic site: the earlier courthouse building and the landscaping from the early 20th century.

Montross Buildings and History

The Inn at Montross/Spence’s Tavern dates from the 19th century and is the oldest building in the Historic District. Its date adds another era to the history of the courthouse site. This sequence makes the historic district more than the story of a single building: the colonial era, the 19th century, and the early 20th century are connected through the places and buildings mentioned.

The Historic Courthouse serves as the visitor center for Westmoreland County and features rotating exhibits on the county’s history. A granite plaque in the courthouse covers the Leedstown Resolves, which are considered a forerunner of the Declaration of Independence. Alongside the rotating county exhibits, a specific historical reference is also in focus. Those interested in the region’s history will find both a broader overview and a plaque about this early political document.

The A.T. Johnson Museum is housed in the original building of Armstead T. Johnson High School. The school is considered the first public high school for African American students on Virginia’s Northern Neck and opened in 1937 in the Colonial Revival style. The museum preserves the high school’s legacy with interactive exhibits, rotating displays, historical artifacts, class photos, yearbooks, sports memorabilia, and recorded stories from former students. Important for trip planning: The A.T. Johnson Museum is closed until further notice.

The Original Museum also has its own place in history: it opened in 1941 and was the first museum to open regularly on the Northern Neck. Its collection includes eighteen portraits honoring notable residents of Westmoreland County. The history of this museum complements the school history of the A.T. Johnson Museum, though the two sites do not tell the same story.

Garden, Mural, and Events

The Virginia Presidents’ Garden is a notable landscape feature of the Montross Historic District. Its details include marble busts of George Washington, James Monroe, and James Madison, as well as a sundial bearing the names of the eight presidents born in Virginia. The Coca-Cola mural in Montross was restored as part of the mural project and is another part of the town’s art history.

A music series by the Greater Montross Partnership for Revitalization was scheduled for the first Friday of each month from May through September 2026. Those dates have already passed. Montross First Fridays also include arts and crafts vendors and food options. You can time your stay to suit the specific reason for your trip.

Discover more destinations: Colonial Beach.

For the broader travel overview: Westmoreland County.