The Loudoun County Clerk of the Circuit Court is hosting a special program Friday, July 10, 2015, to mark the 150th anniversary of the opening session of the Loudoun County Court after the Civil War.

In May 1861, the Court Justices ordered George K. Fox Jr., Clerk of Court, to remove all court records, some of which dated back to the county's founding in 1757. Fox removed the court records to Campbell County, Virginia for safekeeping and they remained there until the summer of 1865. From February 1862 through June 1865, no court was held in Loudoun.

To commemorate the July 10, 1865, court session, Clerk of the Circuit Court Gary M. Clemens and the Historic Records Division will offer an evening program July 10 to observing this historic event in Loudoun's court history.

Starting at 6:30 p.m., at Union Cemetery, 323 North King Street in Leesburg, the Clerk's Office Historic Records team and the Loudoun County Sesquicentennial Committee will sponsor a wreath laying and presentation on the life of George K. Fox to honor his legacy of saving the court records from destruction. Brenda S. Butler, Chief Deputy Clerk for the Clerk of the Circuit Court, will give a presentation on the life of George K. Fox Jr. Butler has conducted extensive research on the life and role Fox had in saving the court records.

The court will also enter an order commemorating the July 10, 1865 court session and Fox.

The evening will conclude with a free 45 to-60-minute guided tour of Union Cemetery by Mary Fishback of the Thomas Balch Library. During the tour, Fishback will highlight the graves of many prominent Loudoun citizens and special monuments. The tour and wreath laying will be conducted by costume interpreters. Registration is required for the tour. Call 703-737-8775 to register.