Jefferson County, Ohio

Founding: July 29, 1797
Parent county: Washington

Namesake: Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), Founding Father
Seat: Steubenville (1797–)

Land area: 408 square miles

Population (2010): 69,709

Population (historic): 8,766 (1800); 25,030 (1840); 33,018 (1880); 88,307 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1800–1820; 1830–1850; 1870–1940

Subdivisions: Two cities; 17 villages; four CDPs; 14 townships

National Register listings: 24

Income (per capita): $20,470

Income (median household): $37,527
Business establishments: 1,281 (54.4 people per business)
Pre-1939 residences (estimated): 8,366 (25.6%)
Vacant houses: 4,485 (13.7%)
Sources of settlement: Pennsylvania, Northern Ireland, and Maryland

Steubenville

Namesake: Fort Steuben, which once occupied the city's site

Founding: 1797 (platting); 1802 (post office)

Population (2010): 18,659

Population (historic): 731 (1800); 4,247 (1840); 12,093 (1880); 35,422 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1797–1850; 1860–1930
Typology: Grid

First Courthouse

Location: Steubenville

Construction: 1798

Years of service: 1798–1810

Typology: Unknown; brick; two-story

Style: Unknown

Builder: Unknown

Cost: Unknown

Status: Razed

Features of note: Appearance unknown.

Second Courthouse

Location: Market Street (Steubenville)

Construction: 1809–1810

Years of service: 1810–1870

Typology: Cubic; brick; two-story

Style: Federal

Architect: John Ward

Cost: Unknown

Status: Razed

Features of note: Central octagonal cupola; five-bay facade; denticulate cornice; round-arched doorway with Federal surround.

Third Courthouse

Photo by Nyttend.

Location: 301 Market Street (Steubenville)

Construction: 1871–1874 / 1950

Years of service: 1874–

Typology: Axial; stone; four-story

Style: Second Empire

Architects: Heard and Blythe

Cost: Unknown

Status: Extant; functional

Features of note: Pedimented portico (topped by a statue of Lady Justice); smooth-sided Corinthian columns; Corinthian pilasters; paired, round-arched windows with keystones and hoodmolds; round-arched pediments; scored first-floor stonework.


Sources: Wikipedia; Courthouse History; United States Census Bureau; History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio (Historical Publishing, 1880).