Middlesex

Formed January 1, 1673 (15^th county)

Middlesex County (10,626), Saluda* (769), Urbanna (492)

The Modern tan brick courthouse was constructed in 2007 to replace an 1853 structure.  The courthouse is at Bowden Street and New Street.  United States Highway 17 Business passes one block to the south of the facility.  Wiley and Wilson designed the courthouse.  The old courthouse is across the street with the veteran memorials on its grounds.  Urbanna had a 1745 courthouse earlier.  Middlesex County was organized on January 1, 1673 from Lancaster County as the 15^th county.  Stormont (1674), Urbanna (1748), and Saluda (1849) have all served as the county seat.  The county is named for Middlesex, England.  The county seat is presumably named for a settler. 

Middlesex County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Supervisors.  Four Circuit Court Judges and Six District Court Judges serve Middlesex, Charles City, Gloucester, James City, King and Queen, King William, Mathews, New Kent, and York counties and Poquoson and Williamsburg cities and Sixty-two Magistrate Court Judges serve Middlesex, Caroline, Charles City, Essex, Gloucester, Hanover, Henrico, James City, King and Queen, King George, King William, Lancaster, Mathews, New Kent, Northumberland, Richmond, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Westmoreland, and York counties and Fredericksburg, Poquoson, Richmond, and Williamsburg cities.  The county is located in the eastern part of Virginia.  Richmond, Virginia is southwest and Virginia Beach, Virginia is southeast of the county.  The Chesapeake Bay forms its eastern border.  The county center is 5.4 miles East of Saluda nearer Locust Hill.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Lancaster, Northampton, Mathews, Gloucester, King and Queen, and Richmond counties. 

The area of the county is 130 square miles.  It is 95 out of 133 in the state.  It ranks 114 out of 133 in population in the state.  It has a density of 81.7 persons per square mile making it 78 out of 133 in the state.  Middlesex County has 4.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 17 crosses through the county from northwest to south from King and Queen County to Gloucester County.  The county resembles a canoe facing southeast.  Saluda is located near the southwest border of the county.  Urbanna is near the northern border of the county.  Saluda is the county seat and Urbanna is the largest city since it is the only incorporated city.  Saluda is 7.2% of the county population although it is unincorporated.  Urbanna is 4.6% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced SA-LOO-DA.