Gallia County, Ohio

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Founding: March 25, 1803
Parent counties: Adams and Washington

Named for: France, whose Latin name is Gallia
Seat: Gallipolis (1803–)

Land area: 467 square miles

Population (2010): 30,934

Population (historic): 4,181 (1810); 17,063 (1850); 28,124 (1880); 23,050 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1810–1880; 1930s; 1970s

Subdivisions: Six villages; one CDP; 15 townships

National Register listings: Eight

Income (per capita): $20,199

Income (median household): $37,409
Business establishments: 556 (55.6 people per business)
Pre-1939 residences (estimated): 1,731 (12.5%)
Vacant houses: 2,347 (16.9%)
Sources of settlement: Virginia, Pennsylvania, Wales, and Germany

Gallipolis

Namesake: France, whence the city's earliest residents came

Founding: 1790 (platting); 1794 (post office)

Population (2010): 3,641

Population (historic): 1,413 (1840); 4,400 (1880); 7,106 (1930)

Periods of population growth: pre-1840; 1840s; 1870s; 1890s; 1910s; 1950s
Typology: Grid (linear, with large public park)

First Courthouse

Location: Gallipolis

Construction: 1806–1812

Years of service: 1812–1847

Typology: Unknown; brick; two-story

Style: Federal (?)

Builder: Charles Mills

Cost: $2,000 ($31,756 in 2017 dollars)

Status: Razed

Features of note: Appearance unknown. The courthouse measured 40' by 30'.

Second Courthouse

Location: Locust Street (Gallipolis)

Construction: Unknown

Years of service: 1847–1858

Typology: Cubic; brick; two-story (?)

Style: Federal (?)

Builder: Unknown

Cost: Unknown

Status: Razed (burned in 1858)

Features of note: Central cupola. Appearance unclear; Howe's Historical Collections depicts a single-story structure.

Third Courthouse

Location: Locust Street (Gallipolis)

Construction: 1858–1859

Years of service: 1859–1877

Typology: Cubic (?); brick (?); two-story (?)

Style: Unknown

Builder: Unknown

Cost: Unknown

Status: Razed (burned in 1877)

Features of note: Appearance unknown. One source describes the structure as "rebuilt in the old style."

Fourth Courthouse

Postcard taken from Heritage Pursuit.

Location: Locust Street (Gallipolis)

Construction: 1877–1879 / 1901 / 1962

Years of service: 1879–1981

Typology: Axial; brick; two-and-a-half-story (with elevated basement)

Style: Second Empire

Architect: Treat S. Ford

Cost: $40,000 ($1,068,515 in 2017 dollars)

Status: Razed (burned in 1981)

Features of note: Mansard-roofed clock tower; mansard roof; dormers; projecting pediment; corner pavilions; cornice brackets; quoins; round-arched windows with stone hoodmolds and keystones; rectangular lintels and sills; simple porch.

Fifth Courthouse

Photo by Nyttend.

Location: 18 Locust Street (Gallipolis)

Construction: 1981–1985

Years of service: 1985–

Typology: Modern (irregular); brick; three-story

Style: None

Architects: Easley, Lee, Vargo, and Cassidy

Cost: Unknown

Status: Extant; functional

Features of note: Mansard roof; arcaded, inset entry.


Sources: Wikipedia; Courthouse History; United States Census Bureau; History of Gallia County, Ohio (Hardesty, 1882).