Culpeper first called Fairfax, the town was named for Lord Fairfax VI, son of Lord Fairfax who married Catherine, daughter and sole heir of Lord Thomas Culpeper for whom the county was named. The town was not governed by a separate set of laws until 1799, having operated until that year under the general laws of the county. Because the courthouse has been established in the county seat 10 years before the town was formed and the town known as Culpeper Courthouse, the name Fairfax, never caught on. Although, a post office had been established in 1795 and was designated by the U.S. Post Office Department as Culpeper Court House, the town's name was not officially changed to Culpeper until 1870 by Act of General Assembly. Culpeper County was formed in 1749, a courthouse, believed to have been frame, was erected at the Northeast corner of Main and Davis Streets. Authorized by the Council of Colonial Virginia in 1749, the building was probably completed in 1750. When the town was laid off in 1759, the North side of Davis Street, between Main and East, was called the public square. Located on it, besides the court house, were the jail, whipping post, stocks, and clerk's office. Comprising the square were 10 lots with a 300 foot frontage and two 9 foot alleys. The original alleys remain today. The 10 lots were sold in 1870 for $11,735. In 1808, the courthouse was declared unsafe and it was decided to erect a two story building on the same site. The next two years the new Court House was under constructed. The first term of court in the new building was held in Aug. 1809. The second courthouse was torn down in 1871 and construction was started on the third and present courthouse building, corner of Davis and West, which was first occupied at the July term of court, 1873. (source: Historical Society) June