Lawrence County, Ohio

Founding: March 1, 1817
Parent counties: Gallia and Scioto

Namesake: James Lawrence (1781–1813), War of 1812 naval officer
Seats: Burlington (1817–1851); Ironton (1851–)

Land area: 453 square miles

Population (2010): 62,450

Population (historic): 3,499 (1820); 23,249 (1860); 39,534 (1900); 44,541 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1820–1880; 1920s; 1950s; 1970s

Subdivisions: One city; six villages; one CDP; 14 townships

National Register listings: 20

Income (per capita): $19,452

Income (median household): $36,461
Business establishments: 808 (77.3 people per business)
Pre-1939 residences (estimated): 3,669 (13.4%)
Vacant houses: 3,852 (14%)
Sources of settlement: Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania

Ironton

Named for: The region's iron-mining industry

Founding: 1849 (platting); 1850 (post office)

Population (2010): 11,129

Population (historic): 3,691 (1860); 11,868 (1900); 16,021 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1850–1890; 1900s; 1920s
Typology: Grid

Courthouse Prehistory

- Between 1817 and 1819, Lawrence County officials met at the house of Joseph Davidson, in Burlington.

First Courthouse

Location: Court Street (Burlington)

Construction: 1817–1819

Years of service: 1819–1851

Typology: Cubic; brick; two-story

Style: Federal

Builder: Asa Kimball

Cost: $1,696 ($27,553 in 2017 dollars)

Status: Razed

Features of note: Open central cupola; five-by-two bay arrangement; doorway with fanlight; jack arches; twenty-over-fifteen windows.

For a photo, see this page.

Second Courthouse

Location: South 4th Street (Ironton)

Construction: 1851–1852

Years of service: 1852–1906

Typology: Front-gabled (temple-form?); brick; two-story

Style: Greek Revival

Builders: John Campbell, George Kemp, and William Lambert

Cost: Unknown

Status: Razed (burned in 1907)

Features of note: Brick pilasters; brick cornice. The structure measured 45' by 70'.

Third Courthouse

Photo from Waymarking.

Location: 111 South 4th Street (Ironton)

Construction: 1906–1908

Years of service: 1908–

Typology: Axial; stone; three-story

Style: Classical Revival

Architects: Richards, McCarty, and Bulford

Cost: Unknown

Status: Extant; functional

Features of note: Central dome; pediment; entablature with modillions; smooth-sided Ionic columns; cornice-topped, deeply recessed one-over-one windows; round-arched windows with fluted trim and keystones; scored first-floor stonework; pedimented entries.


Sources: Wikipedia; Courthouse History; United States Census Bureau; A Standard History of the Hanging Rock Iron Region: Volume I (Lewis, 1916).