Fayette County Courthouse (Ohio)
Encyclopedia
The Fayette County Courthouse is a historic courthouse
building located at 110 East Court Street in Washington Courthouse, Ohio
. On July 2, 1973, it was added to the National Register
.
was once part of the Virginia Military District
and was established as a county in 1810 from part of Ross County
. The county seat was placed at Bloomingburg
and court was held in the hoe of John Devault. The county seat was moved to Washington courthouse in 1812 and a wooden structure was built that year. This building was replaced by a brick structure in 1813, and ultimately burned downed in 1828.
The county rebuilt at the same site in 1828, erecting a structure with 40 square feet (3.7 m²) and an additional wing measuring 14 x 30 feet (9.1 m). This was soon deemed too small and a new courthouse was designed by architect David W. Gibbs and began construction in 1882. The courthouse closely resembles the county courthouse
in Marion
. The courthouse was completed in 1885 and has served the county since.
decorated witha wreath surrounded by flags. A balustrade lines the balcony. The second floor contains arched windows set into rusticated stone blocks. Decorative carved wreaths are set between each window. The third floor is lined with smooth stones and is pierced by long rectangular windows topped by a small square window above. A decorative frieze runs along this floor between the windows and Corinthian
pilasters frame each window. The roof is supported by an entablature
with dentil
moldings and a bulstrade lines the flat roof. A central tower rises on a solid bricked drum, the drum supports an arched and pillared bell tower. The bell tower is topped by a four faced clock which supports a dome rising to a statue.
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...
building located at 110 East Court Street in Washington Courthouse, 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...
. On July 2, 1973, it was added to the National Register
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...
.
History
The area that is currently Fayette CountyFayette County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 28,433 people, 11,054 households, and 7,837 families residing in the county. The population density was 70 people per square mile . There were 11,904 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile...
was once part of the Virginia Military District
Virginia Military District
The Virginia Military District was an approximately 4.2 million acre area of land in what is now the state of Ohio that was reserved by Virginia to use as payment for veterans of the American Revolutionary War....
and was established as a county in 1810 from part of Ross County
Ross County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 73,345 people, 27,136 households, and 19,185 families residing in the county. The population density was 106 people per square mile . There were 29,461 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile...
. The county seat was placed at Bloomingburg
Bloomingburg, Ohio
Bloomingburg is a village in Fayette County, Ohio, United States. The population was 874 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bloomingburg is located at ....
and court was held in the hoe of John Devault. The county seat was moved to Washington courthouse in 1812 and a wooden structure was built that year. This building was replaced by a brick structure in 1813, and ultimately burned downed in 1828.
The county rebuilt at the same site in 1828, erecting a structure with 40 square feet (3.7 m²) and an additional wing measuring 14 x 30 feet (9.1 m). This was soon deemed too small and a new courthouse was designed by architect David W. Gibbs and began construction in 1882. The courthouse closely resembles the county courthouse
Marion County Courthouse (Ohio)
The Marion County Courthouse is the seat of government for Marion County, Ohio, United States. Located at the heart of the city of Marion, it is a sister of the courthouse that stands in Washington Court House in Fayette County, Ohio. They were both designed by architect David W...
in Marion
Marion, Ohio
Marion is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Marion County. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio, approximately north of Columbus....
. The courthouse was completed in 1885 and has served the county since.
Exterior
The Second Empire style building rises three-stories on its square foundation. The ground floor consists of smooth stone blocks and rectangular windows. The building contains central projections with smooth stone blocks on all faces with a flight of stairs accessing the entrances. The entrances are set into a recessed arched alcove with two long arched windows on the fronts. Above the alcove is a small balcony topped by a pediment, which is supported by four Ionic columns. The pediment contains a tympanumTympanum (architecture)
In architecture, a tympanum is the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, bounded by a lintel and arch. It often contains sculpture or other imagery or ornaments. Most architectural styles include this element....
decorated witha wreath surrounded by flags. A balustrade lines the balcony. The second floor contains arched windows set into rusticated stone blocks. Decorative carved wreaths are set between each window. The third floor is lined with smooth stones and is pierced by long rectangular windows topped by a small square window above. A decorative frieze runs along this floor between the windows and Corinthian
Corinthian order
The Corinthian order is one of the three principal classical orders of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric and Ionic. When classical architecture was revived during the Renaissance, two more orders were added to the canon, the Tuscan order and the Composite order...
pilasters frame each window. The roof is supported by an entablature
Entablature
An entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave , the frieze ,...
with dentil
Dentil
In classical architecture a dentil is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice.The Roman architect Vitruvius In classical architecture a dentil (from Lat. dens, a tooth) is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice.The Roman architect...
moldings and a bulstrade lines the flat roof. A central tower rises on a solid bricked drum, the drum supports an arched and pillared bell tower. The bell tower is topped by a four faced clock which supports a dome rising to a statue.
External links
Further reading
- Thrane, Susan W.; County Courthouses of Ohio, Indiana University Press; Indianapolis, Indiana 2000 ISBN 0-253-33778-8
- Marzulli, Lawrence J.; The Development of Ohio's Counties and Their Historic Courthouses; Gray Printing Company; Fostoria, Ohio 1983
- Stebbins, Clair; Ohio's Court Houses; Ohio State Bar Association; Columbus, Ohio 1980