Scioto County, Ohio

Founding: March 24, 1803
Parent county: Adams

Namesake: The Scioto River
Seats: Alexandria (1803–?); Portsmouth (?–)

Land area: 610 square miles

Population (2010): 79,499

Population (historic): 3,399 (1810); 18,428 (1850); 33,511 (1880); 81,221 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1810–1880; 1890–1930; 1970s

Subdivisions: One city; four villages; 10 CDPs; 16 townships

National Register listings: 39

Income (per capita): $17,778

Income (median household): $32,812
Business establishments: 1,279 (62.2 people per business)
Pre-1939 residences (estimated): 8,527 (25%)
Vacant houses: 4,542 (13.3%)
Sources of settlement: Virginia, Germany, Pennsylvania, Ireland, and France

Portsmouth

Namesake: Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Founding: 1803 (platting); 1808 (post office); 1815 (incorporation)

Population (2010): 20,226

Population (historic): 527 (1820); 4,011 (1850); 11,321 (1880); 42,560 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1820s; 1840–1870; 1890–1930
Typology: Grid

First Courthouse

Location: Portsmouth

Construction: 1815–1817

Years of service: 1817–1837

Typology: Cubic; brick; two-story

Style: Federal (?)

Builder: John Young

Cost: Unknown

Status: Razed

Features of note: Central cupola; five-bay facade.

Second Courthouse

Photo from A History of Scioto County, Ohio (1901).

Location: Portsmouth

Construction: 1835–1837 / 1882

Years of service: 1837–1923

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

Style: Greek Revival

Builder: William Kendall

Cost: $12,650 ($278,167 in 2017 dollars)

Status: Razed

Features of note: Octagonal cupola; pediment; round-arched side recesses; round-arched windows; paired Ionic columns; three-bay facade; rusticated stone foundation. Supposedly a near-duplicate of the Portage County Courthouse in Ravenna, Ohio.

Third Courthouse

Photo by Spongefan.

Location: 602 7th Street (Portsmouth)

Construction: 1923–1924

Years of service: 1924–

Typology: Monumental (ring); stone; four-story

Style: Classical Revival

Builder: John S. Adkins

Cost: Unknown

Status: Extant; functional

Features of note: Parapeted fourth floor; diagonal-muntined windows; denticulate entablature; fluted Ionic columns; cornices above windows; arcaded entry; scroll-shaped keystones; scored first-floor stonework;

For more photos, see this page.


Sources: Wikipedia; Courthouse History; United States Census Bureau; Ohio History Central; National Register Information System; A History of Scioto County, Ohio (Evans, 1901).