Supervisor proposes exploring relocation of historic 'Lady Justice' statue to new courthouse grounds

A member of the Board of Supervisors proposed exploring whether the county could relocate the historic Lady Justice statue from the top of the Stanton courthouse to the grounds of the new Augusta County courthouse so the public could better access and view the piece.

The supervisor argued the statue is a county‑owned historic object that has served as a symbol of the court system and said moving it to the new courthouse grounds — with interpretive signage and public access — would preserve local history and increase public engagement. Staff cautioned that the Stanton courthouse is in a historic district and that moving the statue would require a certificate of appropriateness from the city’s historic preservation authority; staff said such an application would likely be denied at the local level, after which an appeal could proceed to the city council and potentially the circuit court. Staff also noted the statue is listed in historic registry materials and recommended additional study of what would be required, including structural work, permitting and potential professional assistance (for example, from the county architect or preservation specialists) and an estimated cost for commissioning a new statue if that were preferred.

Supervisors asked staff to research the legal, procedural and cost steps required to pursue the relocation, including whether removal would affect the Stanton courthouse’s listing on the historic register. Staff said they would prepare information on steps and likely requirements for the board to consider at a future work session; no formal action to relocate the statue was taken at the meeting.