Delaware County, Ohio

Founding: April 1, 1808
Parent county: Franklin

Namesake: The Delaware (or Lenape) people
Seat: Delaware (1808–)

Land area: 443 square miles

Population (2010): 174,214

Population (historic): 2,000 (1810); 21,817 (1850); 27,381 (1880); 26,016 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1810–1840; 1850–1880; 1940–

Subdivisions: Three cities; five villages; two CDPs; 18 townships

National Register listings: 56

Income (per capita): $40,682

Income (median household): $87,908
Business establishments: 4,144 (42 people per business)
Pre-1939 residences (estimated): 4,771 (7%)
Vacant houses: 2,852 (4.2%)
Sources of settlement: Pennsylvania; New York; Virginia; New Jersey; Connecticut; Wales

Delaware

Namesake: Delaware County

Founding: 1808 (platting); 1811 (post office); 1816 (incorporation)

Population (2010): 34,753

Population (historic): 200 (1810); 2,074 (1850); 6,894 (1880); 8,675 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1810–1890; 1900s; 1940–1980; 1990–
Typology: Grid

Courthouse Prehistory

- Between 1808 and 1815, the Delaware County government met at private residences.

First Courthouse

Location: North Sandusky Street (Delaware)

Construction: 1815 (?)

Years of service: 1815–1868

Typology: Cubic; brick; two-story (?)

Style: Federal (?)

Architect: Jacob Drake

Cost: $8,000 ($108,608 in 2017 dollars)

Status: Razed

Features of note: Appearance unknown. Apparently, the building measured 40' by 38'.

Second Courthouse

Location: 91 North Sandusky Street (Delaware)

Construction: 1868

Years of service: 1868–

Typology: Center-hall (rectangular); brick; two-story (with raised basement)

Style: Italianate

Architect: Robert N. Jones

Cost: $80,000 ($1,496,072 in 2017 dollars)

Status: Extant; functional

Features of note: Central cupola and platform (topped by a statue of Lady Justice); five-bay facade; projecting central bay with recessed, round-arched entrance; cornice brackets; corbelling; divided bays; round-arched recesses; segmental- and round-arched windows; stone hoodmolds with bosses and keystones; bracketed entry hood.

More photos.


Source: Wikipedia; Courthouse History; United States Census Bureau; History of Delaware County and Ohio (Baskin, 1880).