Stark County Court House Canton, Ohio

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Flyover Stark County Court House Downtown Canton, Ohio.

Stark County Court House
115 Central Plaza North, Canton, OH, 44702

The Stark County Courthouse is a beautiful structure built in the architectural style known as Beaux Arts Classicism. Completed in 1895, it is the third courthouse to occupy this site. The first, a Federal style structure erected in 1817-1818, was replaced by a larger Italianate structure in 1868-1870, with a separate Annex. However, within two decades, this second courthouse had been outgrown. County Commissioners were reluctant to undertake the cost of a new structure during the depression years of the 1890's. Accordingly, Architect George Hammond from Cleveland, Ohio was commissioned to revise and expand the existing structure. Hammond's remodeling actually called for the construction of a whole new, larger building around the body of the existing structure. Hammond's plan focuses on the imposing bell and clock tower, crowned by four courthouse angels, the "Trumpeters of Justice" once visible for some distance along most approaches to the city.

The courthouse is divided into four stories, with the first story using the Roman arch as its motif, the largest of these being the three entrance archways over the south porch entrance. The second story is subdivided into two sections: the upper section uses the oculus or round window set in ornamented squares; the lower sections uses a narrow Roman arch window. The upper story has square-headed Roman-style windows. Between the windows are rectangular panels ornamented with a lattice pattern in stone. The cornice is adorned with overlapping disks and a running ivy festoon.

The building has two porticos; an elaborate pedimented design on the Tuscarawas Street side, and a simple, single story portico facing Market Avenue. The Market Avenue portico is supported by four Tuscan columns with Doric capitals crowned by a balustrade. The Tuscarawas Street facade is of the greatest architectural interest. It is a Beaux Arts fantasy composed of triple Roman arches on the first floor, above which rise paired, unfluted columns with large Ionic capitals. Above this is the traditional stepped architrave and, above that is an undecorated frieze. The carving in the triangular pediment is a magnificent presentation in carved sandstone, the symbolism of which is derived partially from the rural commerce of the county itself and partially from ancient Greece. The four central female figures robed in the Greek peplum are allegorical representations of Commerce, Justice, Agriculture and Industry.

Although placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, over the decades the courthouse had suffered from lack of proper maintenance and alterations of its original appearance. For example, the columns of the south porch had been filled in with masonry to provide additional room. This and other changes had seriously affected its appearance and its overall condition had deteriorated. However, in 1992 a major renovation at a cost of $11 million dollars was undertaken through a combination of funding provided by the County Commissioners and local private foundations, including the Deuble, Hoover, Timken and Stark Community Foundations. The project, completed in 1995, included many improvements and returned the building to its original appearance from its construction one-hundred years earlier. A formal rededication of the Stark County Courthouse was held on September 16, 1995.

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