Perry County, Ohio

Founding: March 1, 1818
Parent counties: Fairfield, Muskingum, and Washington

Namesake: Oliver Hazard Perry (1785–1819), War of 1812 naval commander
Seats: Somerset (1818–1857); New Lexington (1857–)

Land area: 408 square miles

Population (2010): 36,058

Population (historic): 8,429 (1820); 20,775 (1850); 31,841 (1900); 36,098 (1920)

Periods of population growth: 1820–1840; 1870–1890; 1970s

Subdivisions: 12 villages; two CDPs; 14 townships

National Register listings: 13

Income (per capita): $18,916

Income (median household): $42,388
Business establishments: 424 (85 people per business)
Pre-1939 residences (estimated): 4,235 (27.9%)
Vacant houses: 1,525 (10.1%)
Sources of settlement: Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ireland, and Maryland

Somerset (ex-seat)

Namesake: Somerset, Pennsylvania

Founding: 1810 (platting, as Middletown)

Population (2010): 1,481

Population (historic): 344 (1820); 1,231 (1860); 1,124 (1900)

Periods of population growth: 1810–1850; 1900s

Typology: Linear (with interrupting public square)

New Lexington

Namesake: Lexington, Massachusetts

Founding: 1817 (platting); 1829 (post office)

Population (2010): 4,731

Population (historic): 406 (1850); 1,357 (1880); 3,157 (1920)

Periods of population growth: 1850s; 1870s; 1900–1930
Typology: Grid (linear)

Courthouse Prehistory

- The first Perry County government met in Somerset at the residence of John Wilson, then moved to John Fink's tavern, which stood at the Main Street–High Street intersection.

- Between about 1820 and 1829, officials convened in the newly constructed Perry County Jail, a two-story stone-and-brick structure equipped with a second-floor courtroom.

First Courthouse

Location: 100 Public Square (Somerset)

Construction: 1826–1829

Years of service: 1829–1857

Typology: Cubic; brick; two-story

Style: Federal

Architect: James Hampson

Cost: $6,600 ($145,118 in 2017 dollars)

Status: Extant (used as Somerset village offices)

Features of note: Central steeple with octagonal, louvered base; nine-over-nine windows; rectangular lintels and sills; wide entrance with four doors, fanlight, stone surround, and fluted keystones; large plaque above entry ("Let Justice be done. / If the Heavens should fall.").

More photos.

Second Courthouse

Location: North Main Street (New Lexington)

Construction: Between 1851 and 1857

Years of service: 1857–1887

Typology: Unknown (likely axial); brick; two-story

Style: Unknown

Builder: Samuel Feigley

Cost: Unknown

Status: Razed

Features of note: Appearance unknown. Construction was funded privately.

Third Courthouse

Location: 105 North Main Street (New Lexington)

Construction: 1887

Years of service: 1887–

Typology: Axial (square, irregular); stone; two-story (with elevated basement and attic)

Style: Richardsonian Romanesque

Architect: Joseph W. Yost

Cost: $143,000 ($3,959,521 in 2017 dollars)

Status: Extant; functional

Features of note: Corner pavilions; asymmetrical side elevation; castellated central clock tower; polychromatic, rusticated stone walls; turrets and finials; rectangular and round-arched windows; stone trimming; floral capitals; denticulate entablature; massive, cathedral-esque side window; projecting vestibule with low Romanesque arch.

More photos.


Sources: Wikipedia; Courthouse History; United States Census Bureau; History of Fairfield and Perry Counties, Ohio (Beers, 1883).