Until 1838, Salem was a part of a much larger Botetourt county. On March 30th of that year, primarily due to the legislative effort of a number of Salem residents, the Virginia General Assembly designated the southern third of Botetourt as Roanoke county. Salem, the largest town in the new county, was selected to be government seat of the new county. This was a definite boon for Salem, because government seats meant a courthouse was needed, and a courthouse meant visitors to the town during court days.
The first Roanoke county courthouse was built on this site in 1841. It was a two-story brick building, with facing of columns, and single-story wings on each side, containing other governmental offices. A large open yard with a bandstand was used for city gatherings, band concerts, and ice cream socials. Three local figures were named to preside as justices in this court: Nathaniel Burwell, Michael Miller, and David Sloan.
At the time of the court's establishment, the population of Salem was roughly 400 persons. The 1840 census established a population for the entirety of Roanoke County of only 5,499. There were only 42 Salem residents who owned & paid taxes on real estate property. The total of taxes collected in 1838 was $71.34.
"Court Day," the third Monday of each month, became a very busy day in Salem. Not only was that the day that cases were heard before the justices, it also developed into a busy market day, with folks from around the county coming to sell, buy, and trade wares. Hotels, stores, and restaurants did booming business that day. Two competing newspapers developed in Salem, both having offices across the street from the courthouse.
By the turn of the century, however, Roanoke County officials were outgrowing the building. A plan initially to extend the west wing of the courthouse (housing the treasurer's office) developed first into a plan to demolish and rebuild the wing, then to replace the entire courthouse building. Editorials from the Times-Register and Sentinel and discovery of rotting wood in the flooring and support structure, pushed the county to vote to replace the building. Salem, who agreed to fund one-third of all costs, agreed a few weeks later. So, in July of 1909, the courthouse was torn down, the bandstand moved to Lake Spring Park, and soon afterword construction of the new facility began.
A new courthouse - the current building - was built in its place. The first court session in the new facility was April 1st, 1910. In mid-May, a large "town clock" was installed in the cupola. The Confederate monument was erected that June, and a water fountain across from it.
This new building served the legal needs of the county for more than 70 years, with little change. Salem incorporated as a city on December 31st, 1967, splitting itself away from Roanoke County governance, and built their own city courthouse, which went into service in 1979, a few blocks southwest of the county facility. Roanoke County began looking for a new facility as well. While a number of citizens pushed to move the courthouse outside of Salem, the county ended up accepting a land offer from Salem for a large area directly east of the courthouse. Construction completed on a new shared jail facility in 1980, and a new county courthouse in 1985. Once the new county courthouse opened, the 1910 courthouse was sold to Roanoke College, where it is now used for classroom & office space. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
[Thanks to the research & writings of Norwood Middleton and John D. Long for historic source material.]