Putnam County Courthouse (Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Putnam County Courthouse
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Front and western side of the courthouse
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | Courthouse Sq., Ottawa, Ohio |
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| Area | 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) |
| Built | 1912 |
| Architect | Frank Packard; Ralph Snyder |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001608 |
| Added to NRHP | May 3, 1974 |
The Putnam County Courthouse is an important old building in downtown Ottawa, Ohio, United States. It's where many of the county's government activities happen. This two-story building, found at 245 E. Main Street, was built in 1912. It was designed in a special style called Beaux-Arts.
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History of Putnam County Courthouses
The courthouse you see today is actually the fourth one that has served Putnam County.
First Courthouses in Kalida
When Putnam County first started in 1834, the town of Kalida was chosen as the county seat. This meant it was the main town for the county government. A wooden courthouse was built there first.
This first building only lasted four years. It was replaced by a bigger brick courthouse and jail in 1838. This second courthouse was used for over 25 years. But a big fire destroyed it on December 18, 1864.
Moving the County Seat to Ottawa
After the fire, people started talking about moving the county seat. Ottawa was growing faster than Kalida and had a railroad line, which was a big deal for travel and trade. Ottawa was also closer to the center of the county.
In 1866, people voted, and the county seat officially moved to Ottawa. The village of Ottawa paid $15,000 to build a new courthouse. This was the third courthouse for Putnam County.
Building the Current Courthouse
About 40 years after the third courthouse was built, people wanted a newer, more modern building.
Choosing the Design
In 1909, voters agreed to build a new courthouse. The county leaders chose Frank Packard, an architect from Columbus, to design it.
Packard's design was a large building in the Beaux-Arts style. It had a strong stone foundation and stone walls. The roof was made of ceramic tiles. Inside, the building used a lot of beautiful materials like marble, stained glass, and oak wood. The whole building cost a bit less than $200,000 to finish.
What Happens at the Courthouse Today?
The Putnam County Courthouse is still very busy and important for the county government.
Courtrooms and Offices
The Common Pleas Court holds its trials in the main courtroom, which is on the third floor of the building.
Many important county offices are also located here. These include the offices for the county commissioners, who help run the county. You'll also find the county auditor, who checks the county's money, and the Clerk of Courts, who keeps court records. The county engineer and the county prosecutor (who handles legal cases for the county) also have their offices in this building. There's also another county office building, called an annex, located one block east of the courthouse.
Why the Courthouse is Special
When the building committee planned the courthouse in the early 1900s, they hoped it would still be famous in the year 2000. They definitely succeeded!
A Well-Kept Masterpiece
Over the years, the courthouse has been carefully looked after. This means it hasn't fallen apart, and no major changes have been made to its original design.
Today, the Putnam County Courthouse is known as a true architectural masterpiece. Experts who study buildings have even said it's the best Beaux-Arts courthouse in all of Ohio. Because of its well-preserved and important design, the courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. This list recognizes buildings that are important to history and architecture across the country.
