Harrisville in Ritchie County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
Ritchie County Courthouse
Ritchie County Historic Landmark
Photographed by Bradley Owen, May 29, 2026
1. Ritchie County Courthouse Marker
Designed by Holmboe and Pogue of Wheeling, WV, the Ritchie County Courthouse's cornerstone was set on May 30, 1923. For such a rural setting, the Neo-Classical style of the courthouse seems quite elaborate.
Embedded in the stone was a time capsule containing local newspapers, pictures of the old courthouse, a copy for the order of the courthouse construction, and other important items of the time. In 1923, the population in Harrisville was 1,839 and the cost to build the courthouse was $150,000. The building consists of two stories with a raised basement and is made of fine-grain ashlar limestone. It has a center rotunda, a terrazzo floor with a star and compass motif and limestone wainscoting.
The cost of building the two-story clock tower was $6,000, which was raised by the Harrisville Women's Club. The Ritchie County Courthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Architecture. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical date for this entry is May 30, 1923.
Location. 39° 12.603′ N, 81° 3.1′ W. Marker is in Harrisville, West Virginia, in Ritchie County. It is on North Court Street north of Main Street (West Virginia Route
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in West Virginia’s Little Kanawha Valley. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Ritchie County Veterans Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Harrisville (within shouting distance of this marker); Raiders In Harrisville (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Harrisville / Thomas Maley Harris (approx. 0.6 miles away); Romeo H. Freer (approx. 0.7 miles away); a different marker also named Ritchie County Veterans Memorial (approx. 5.6 miles away); a different marker also named Ritchie County Veterans Memorial (approx. 5.6 miles away); Unusual Architecture (approx. 5.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Harrisville.
Also see . . . Ritchie County Courthouse National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. (Submitted on May 31, 2026, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.)
Additional keywords. Time capsule
Photographed by Bradley Owen, May 29, 2026
2. Ritchie County Courthouse Marker
The location of the courthouse is out of the photo frame, several yards off to the left.
Photographed by Bradley Owen, May 29, 2026
3. Ritchie County Courthouse
Credits. This page was last revised on May 31, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 31, 2026, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 31, 2026, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.
