Allen County, Ohio

Founding: March 1, 1831 (declared in 1820)
Parent county: Unorganized territory

Namesake: John Allen (1771–1813), War of 1812 officer
Seat: Lima (1831–)

Land area: 402 square miles

Population (2010): 106,331

Population (historic): 9,079 (1840); 31,314 (1880); 69,419 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1830–1920; 1940–1960

Subdivisions: Two cities; seven villages; one CDP; 12 townships

National Register listings: 30

Income (per capita): $21,713

Income (median household): $43,632
Business establishments: 2,463 (43.2 people per business)
Pre-1939 residences (estimated): 10,187 (22.7%)
Vacant houses: 4,739 (10.5%)
Sources of settlement: Pennsylvania, Germany, Virginia, Maryland, and Switzerland

Lima

Namesake: Lima, Peru

Founding: 1831 (platting); 1832 (post office)

Population (2010): 38,771

Population (historic): 757 (1850); 7,567 (1880); 21,723 (1900); 42,287 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1850–1920; 1940s
Typology: Grid

First Courthouse

Location: Lima

Construction: 1832

Years of service: 1832–1840

Typology: Single-pen; log; two-story

Style: None

Builder: Unknown

Cost: Unknown

Status: Razed

Features of note: Two-bay facade; rake boards; second-floor entry; six-over-six windows.

For a photo, see this page.

Second Courthouse

Location: North Main Street (Lima)

Construction: 1840–1841

Years of service: 1841–1881

Typology: Front-gabled (temple-form); brick; two-story (with elevated basement)

Style: Greek Revival

Builder: Orlando Broughton

Cost: $13,325 ($321,701 in 2017 dollars)

Status: Razed

Features of note: Octagonal cupola with dome and pilasters; pedimented portico; three-bay facade; Doric columns; simple entablature; rectangular lintels and sills.

For a photo, see this page.

Third Courthouse

Photo by Nyttend.

Location: 301 North Main Street (Lima)

Construction: 1881–1884

Years of service: 1884–

Typology: Monumental (axial); stone; two-and-a-half-story (with elevated basement)

Style: Second Empire / Classical Revival

Builder: George H. Maetzel

Cost: $360,000 ($8,907,565 in 2017 dollars)

Status: Extant; functional

Features of note: Ornate central clock tower; convex mansard roof; projecting central bay; entablature; cornice brackets; divided bays; rusticated stonework; two-story, round-arched inset entrance; round-arched windows with hoodmolds and keystones; simple porch.


Sources: Wikipedia; Courthouse History; United States Census Bureau.