Stark County, Ohio

Founding: January 1, 1809 (declared in 1808)
Parent county: Columbiana

Namesake: John Stark (1728–1822), Revolutionary War general
Seat: Canton (1809–)

Land area: 575 square miles

Population (2010): 375,586

Population (historic): 2,734 (1810); 39,878 (1850); 64,031 (1880); 221,784 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1810–1850; 1870–1930; 1940–1960

Subdivisions: Six cities; 13 villages; seven CDPs; 17 townships

National Register listings: 85

Income (per capita): $24,015

Income (median household): $44,941
Business establishments: 8,291 (45.3 people per business)
Pre-1939 residences (estimated): 35,464 (21.5%)
Vacant houses: 15,522 (9.4%)
Sources of settlement: Pennsylvania, Germany, France, and Switzerland

Canton

Namesake: Unclear—perhaps Guangzhou, China, or the Swiss canton system

Founding: 1805 (platting); 1809 (post office); 1815 (incorporation)

Population (2010): 73,007

Population (historic): 1,257 (1830); 4,041 (1860); 30,667 (1900); 104,906 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1820–1930
Typology: Grid

Courthouse Prehistory

- Between 1809 and 1817, Stark County officials met in several privately owned Canton buildings—the homes of Samuel Coulter, George Stidger, and Daniel Faron, and perhaps others.

Second Courthouse

Location: Tuscarawas Street (Canton)

Construction: 1816–1817

Years of service: 1817–1867

Typology: Cubic; brick; two-story

Style: Federal

Builders: Thomas Drayton and John Henley

Cost: $6,250 ($97,271 in 2017 dollars)

Status: Razed

Features of note: Central octagonal cupola; five-bay facade; denticulate cornice; round-arched doorway with entablature; operable shutters.

For an illustration, see this book.

Third Courthouse

Photo by Sanfranman59.

Location: 115 Central Plaza (Canton)

Construction: 1869–1870 / 1895

Years of service: 1870–

Typology: Monumental (irregular); stone; three-story (with elevated basement)

Style: Beaux-Arts

Architect: Henry Meyer / George Hammond

Cost: $250,000 ($7,472,144 in 2017 dollars)

Status: Extant; functional

Features of note: Lofty corner tower with cupola, angel statues, denticulate, swag-adorned entablature, ornate carvings, and pilasters; denticulate entablature; garlands; pedimented portico; tympanum carvings; paired Ionic columns; round-arched and circular windows; scored first-floor stonework; arcaded entry.


Sources: Wikipedia; Courthouse History; United States Census Bureau; History of Stark County (Baskin and Battey, 1881).