Clark County Courthouse (Ohio)

The Clark County Courthouse
Clark County Courthouse in Springfield, Ohio
General information
Architectural style	Romanesque
Town or city	Springfield, Ohio
Country	United States
Coordinates	39°55′37″N 83°48′15″W / 39.92694°N 83.80417°W / 39.92694; -83.80417Coordinates: 39°55′37″N 83°48′15″W / 39.92694°N 83.80417°W / 39.92694; -83.80417
Construction started	1918
Completed	1924
Cost	$115,000
Client	Clark County Commissioners
Design and construction
Architect	William K. Schilling
Engineer	Builder:

The Clark County Courthouse is located at the northwest corner of North Limestone and East Columbia Streets in Springfield, Ohio. The courthouse standing is the third for the county and is built over the foundations of the second.

Clark County was established in 1818 and was carved from lands from Champaign, Greene, and Madison counties. The court met in various locations in Springfield but no budget allowed for the construction of a courthouse. In 1819, the commissioners were approached by a group of citizens who pledged $2,215 to the construction of a permanent courthouse. This first courthouse began construction and was due to be completed in 1820, but dragged on until 1828 and was designed by the architectural firm of Ambler & Fisher.

The building was based on the first capitol for Ohio at Chillicothe. The square building was built as a two-story red brick structure with three shuttered windows on both sides with white trim. The windows were recessed and set in an arch. Four large chimneys on each side protruded from the high hipped roof, which was mounted by a central cupola. The cupola consisted of a square base supporting an octagonal drum with a dome capped by a spire.

This courthouse served for 50 years until the demands of the county proved the courthouse too small. The old courthouse was sold in 1878 for $50.00 and was demolished so the new courthouse could be built on the site.Thomas J. Tolan & Son, Architects, of Fort Wayne Indiana, designed the new courthouse and Nathaniel Cregar, whose father, Charles Cregar, was studying with Tolan, was named as supervising contractor.

The new building was designed in the popular Second Empire style. The square building was constructed of limestone, with a rusticated foundation and smooth stone blocks above. The two story building is capped by a mansard roof with mansard towers at each corner with projecting dormers. The building's focus was on Columbia Street with large tower capped by a large spire and a four sided clock. An arched portico framed the entrance, which was reached by a flight of stairs. The courthouse caught fire about 1 o'clock on the morning of March 12, 1918, and destroyed the interior and most of the exterior. The court records were saved, as the county had implemented a policy of storing the records in a separate location.