Painesville in Lake County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Painesville City Hall
cmh2315fl via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0), July 4, 2012
Erected by popular subscription, this building was the first courthouse built after the county of Lake was established on March 6, 1840.
Purchased for Painesville City Hall 1909
Architect
Harvey Woodworth
Contractor
Erected 1940 by New Connecticut Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the Daughters of the American Revolution series list. A significant historical date for this entry is March 6, 1840.
Location. 41° 43.452′ N, 81° 14.726′ W. Marker is in Painesville, Ohio, in Lake County. Marker is at the intersection of Richmond Street and Mentor Avenue, on the right when traveling south on Richmond Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 7 Richmond St, Painesville OH 44077, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Mentor Avenue Historic District (here, next to this marker); First Congregational Church (within shouting distance of this marker); United States of America Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Freedom Memorial (about 300 feet away); They Served (about 300 feet away); Lake County Civil War Memorial (about 500 feet away); Abraham Lincoln (about 500 feet away); Painesville United Methodist Church (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Painesville.
Regarding Painesville City Hall. Excerpt from the National Register of Historic Places entry for the building:
The structure is an outstanding example of the Greek Revival architecture then flourishing at the time of the establishment of Lake County. Widely, but probably erroneously, attributed to the well-known architect of this County, Jonathan Goldsmith, the building was constructed rapidly immediately following the separation of the present Lake County area from the then-existing Geauga County. The historical material at hand notes that as a result of differing interests on the part of residents of the northern parts of Geauga County, along the southern shore of Lake Erie, a move was launched to break off and form a new County. Temporarily stymied by a large acreage requirement to form a County, the separationists shrewdly decided to claim the acreage of Lake Erie to its centerline. The ploy was successful, and in 1840 Lake County was formed, becoming the newest and the smallest of all Ohio counties. Painesville was selected as the county seat, and the enthusiastic citizens raised $5,000 by public subscription even before the results were official, in order to construct a suitable courthouse. …
Also see . . . Painesville City Hall (PDF). National Register of Historic Places nomination submitted for the building, which was listed in 1972. (National Archives) (Submitted on May 21, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 13, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 21, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 149 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on May 21, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on July 12, 2022, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio.