Preble County, Ohio

Founding: March 1, 1808
Parent counties: Butler and Montgomery

Namesake: Edward Preble (1761–1807), U.S. naval officer
Seat: Eaton (1808–)

Land area: 424 square miles

Population (2010): 42,270

Population (historic): 3,304 (1810); 21,736 (1850); 24,533 (1880); 22,455 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1810–1850; 1870s; 1940–1960; 1970s

Subdivisions: One city; 10 villages; one CDP; 12 townships

National Register listings: 19

Income (per capita): $23,290

Income (median household): $49,780
Business establishments: 646 (65.4 people per business)
Pre-1939 residences (estimated): 4,908 (27.5%)
Vacant houses: 1,719 (9.6%)
Sources of settlement: Virginia; Pennsylvania; Maryland; New Jersey; Ireland; Germany

Eaton

Namesake: William Eaton (1764–1811), U.S. army officer

Founding: 1806 (platting); 1813 (post office)

Population (2010): 8,407

Population (historic): 255 (1820); 1,346 (1850); 2,143 (1880); 3,347 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1820–1850; 1870–1890; 1940–1980; 1990s
Typology: Grid

First Courthouse

Location: East Main Street (Eaton)

Construction: 1816

Years of service: 1816–1848 (?)

Typology: Cubic; brick; two-story

Style: Federal (?)

Builders: John Spacht, Andrew McQuiston, and James Crawford

Cost: $1,000 ($14,646 in 2017 dollars)

Status: Razed

Features of note: Appearance unknown. Apparently, the structure measured 40' by 40'.

Courthouse Prehistory

- Before construction of the county's first courthouse, officials met at the house of Samuel Hawkins, in Eaton.

Second Courthouse

Location: East Main Street (Eaton)

Construction: 1848–1851

Years of service: 1851–1917

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

Style: Greek Revival

Builders: N.G. and S.H. Lockwood

Cost: $22,000 ($658,222 in 2017 dollars)

Status: Razed

Features of note: Square clock tower; pedimented portico; three-bay facade; Ionic columns; wide, simple entablature; bays divided by brick pilasters; rectangular lintels and sills; six-over-six windows; operable shutters.

For photos, see this page.

Third Courthouse

Location: 101 East Main Street (Eaton)

Construction: 1917–1918

Years of service: 1918–

Typology: Monumental (axial); stone; three-story

Style: Beaux-Arts

Architect: Harvey H. Hiestand

Cost: Unknown

Status: Extant; functional

Features of note: Balustraded parapet; denticulate entablature; bulging, smooth-sided Ionic columns; paired windows; second-floor balconies; scored first-floor stonework.

More photos.


Sources: Wikipedia; Courthouse History; United States Census Bureau; History of Preble County, Ohio (Williams, 1881); History of Preble County, Ohio (Bowen, 1915).