Defiance County, Ohio

Founding: April 7, 1845
Parent counties: Henry, Paulding, and Williams

Namesake: The city of Defiance
Seat: Defiance (1845–)

Land area: 411 square miles

Population (2010): 39,037

Population (historic): 6,966 (1850); 22,515 (1880); 22,714 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1850–1890; 1930–1980

Subdivisions: One city; three villages; 12 townships

National Register listings: 10

Income (per capita): $22,139

Income (median household): $44,480
Business establishments: 807 (48.4 people per business)
Pre-1939 residences (estimated): 4,829 (28.8%)
Vacant houses: 1,410 (8.4%)
Sources of settlement: Germany, Pennsylvania, and New York

Defiance

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

Founding: 1822 (platting); 1825 (post office)

Population (2010): 16,494

Population (historic): 800 (1850); 5,907 (1880); 8,818 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1850–1890; 1910s; 1940–1970
Typology: Grid (irregular)

Courthouse Prehistory

- After Defiance County's organization, the nascent government met in a school building.

First Courthouse

Location: Clinton Street (Defiance)

Construction: 1845

Years of service: 1845–1871

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

Style: Greek Revival (?)

Builder: John Bostata

Cost: Unknown

Status: Razed

Features of note: Square tower with spire; pedimented portico; four columns; full entablature; brick pilasters.

Second Courthouse

Location: 221 Clinton Street (Defiance)

Construction: 1871–1873

Years of service: 1873–

Typology: Axial (rectangular); brick; three-story

Style: Second Empire

Architect: J.C. Johnson

Cost: $72,000 ($1,496,654 in 2017 dollars)

Status: Extant; functional

Features of note: Projecting central clock tower; corner pavilions; round-arched, recessed entrance; round-arched two-over-two windows; stone trim; window pediments; abundant vermiculated keystones; stone string course. A 2017 renovation replicates the building's mansard roof—removed in the 1950s for a ghastly third-floor addition.

More photos. For images of the original roof, see this page.


Sources: Wikipedia; Courthouse History; United States Census Bureau; History of Defiance County, Ohio (Beers, 1883).