Paulding County Courthouse (Ohio)
Encyclopedia
The Paulding County Courthouse is a historic governmental building in downtown Paulding
, Ohio
, United States
. A Richardsonian Romanesque
building erected in 1886, it is the third courthouse
to serve the residents of Paulding County
.
When Paulding County was established in 1820, the small community of Charloe was named the county seat
. This arrangement proved to be short-lived: the older community of Paulding grew significantly while Charloe stagnated, and the county seat was eventually moved to the larger village. Once Paulding had been named the county seat, the county's second courthouse was erected on the village's central square in 1837. After approximately fifty years of service, this frame
structure was demolished, and the present structure was built on the same location in 1886.
Designed by the E.O. Fallis Company and built by workers under the direction of general contractor
Rudolph Ehrhart, the courthouse is a brick structure with a stone foundation and a roof of asphalt. Two-and-one-half stories
tall with a central tower, the courthouse features nearly identical entrances on each of its four sides. Measuring 60 feet (18.3 m) square, and 163 feet (49.7 m) tall at the tip of its domed tower, the courthouse was patterned after the Lenawee County Courthouse
in Michigan
, which was also designed by the Fallis architects.
In 1974, the Paulding County Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, due to its well-preserved architecture that was deemed significant statewide. It is one of four buildings in Paulding County on the Register, along with a rural round barn
, a former train station in the village of Antwerp
, and the Carnegie library
in Paulding.
Paulding, Ohio
Paulding is a village in and the county seat of Paulding County, Ohio, United States. It is located predominantly in Paulding Township. The population was 3,595 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. A Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after architect Henry Hobson Richardson, whose masterpiece is Trinity Church, Boston , designated a National Historic Landmark...
building erected in 1886, it is the third courthouse
Courthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
to serve the residents of Paulding County
Paulding County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,293 people, 7,773 households, and 5,689 families residing in the county. The population density was 49 people per square mile . There were 8,478 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
.
When Paulding County was established in 1820, the small community of Charloe was named the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
. This arrangement proved to be short-lived: the older community of Paulding grew significantly while Charloe stagnated, and the county seat was eventually moved to the larger village. Once Paulding had been named the county seat, the county's second courthouse was erected on the village's central square in 1837. After approximately fifty years of service, this frame
Framing (construction)
Framing, in construction known as light-frame construction, is a building technique based around structural members, usually called studs, which provide a stable frame to which interior and exterior wall coverings are attached, and covered by a roof comprising horizontal ceiling joists and sloping...
structure was demolished, and the present structure was built on the same location in 1886.
Designed by the E.O. Fallis Company and built by workers under the direction of general contractor
General contractor
A general contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communication of information to involved parties throughout the course of a building project.-Description:...
Rudolph Ehrhart, the courthouse is a brick structure with a stone foundation and a roof of asphalt. Two-and-one-half stories
Storey
A storey or story is any level part of a building that could be used by people...
tall with a central tower, the courthouse features nearly identical entrances on each of its four sides. Measuring 60 feet (18.3 m) square, and 163 feet (49.7 m) tall at the tip of its domed tower, the courthouse was patterned after the Lenawee County Courthouse
Lenawee County Courthouse
The Lenawee County Courthouse is a county courthouse located at 309 North Main Street in the city of Adrian in central Lenawee County, Michigan...
in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, which was also designed by the Fallis architects.
In 1974, the Paulding County Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, due to its well-preserved architecture that was deemed significant statewide. It is one of four buildings in Paulding County on the Register, along with a rural round barn
Round barn
A round barn is a historic barn design that could be octagonal, polygonal, or circular in plan. Though round barns were not as popular as some other barn designs, their unique shape makes them noticeable. The years from 1880–1920 represent the height of round barn construction. Round barn...
, a former train station in the village of Antwerp
Antwerp, Ohio
Antwerp is a village in Paulding County, Ohio, United States, along the Maumee River. The population was 1,740 at the 2000 census.Antwerp is the nearest village to the Six Mile Reservoir, the site of the Reservoir War in 1887. Antwerp is the birthplace of Asa Long, the English draughts player...
, and the Carnegie library
Carnegie library
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
in Paulding.