Sidney in Shelby County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Shelby County Courthouse
In 1819, the State of Ohio formally recognized Shelby County, named for Isaac Shelby, veteran of the American Revolution and former governor of Kentucky. The first county seat was located in Hardin, but was moved to Sidney in 1820 to centralize county government. The corner stone of the present courthouse was laid on July 4, 1881. George Maetzel from Columbus served as architect and superintendent of construction. Modeled after the county courthouse in Licking County, the project was completed in 1883 at a cost of $200,000. Materials, such as limestone, sandstone, and marble arrived by canal boat. The French Second Empire style building has four symmetrical sides facing the four points of the compass, each side with pillared porticoes approached by broad stone steps. A figure of Lady Justice holding the scales of equal justice surmounts each facade. The roof is classical mansard, and the center 170-foot tower is of galvanized iron, encompassing four clocks.
Erected 2003 by The Ohio Bicentennial Commission, The Longaberger Company, Shelby County Historical Society, and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 2-75.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Government & Politics • Notable Buildings • Political Subdivisions. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1893.
Location. 40° 17.092′ N, 84° 9.335′ W. Marker is in Sidney, Ohio, in Shelby County. Marker is at the intersection of Court Street (Ohio Route 29/47) and Main Avenue (Ohio Route 29/47), on the left when traveling east on Court Street. Marker is on the SE courthouse grounds. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 129 E Court Street, Sidney OH 45365, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Theodore Roosevelt / William Howard Taft (a few steps from this marker); Shelby County World War I - World War II Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Sidney and Shelby County Millenium Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Operation Desert Storm Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Shelby County Korean Conflict / Vietnam War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); General Isaac Shelby (within shouting distance of this marker); George Washington Bicentennial (within shouting distance of this marker); Burkhart Building (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sidney.
Also see . . . History of the Shelby County Courthouse. Shelby County Historical Society website entry (Submitted on March 13, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 17, 2022. It was originally submitted on March 13, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 834 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 13, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 4. submitted on April 19, 2018, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.