Caldwell in Noble County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Caldwell Downtown Historic District

Photographed by Mark Parker, July 14, 2026

1. Caldwell Downtown Historic District Marker (side 1)

Inscription.
The Caldwell Downtown Historic District is the historic commercial and governmental core of the Village of Caldwell, which was founded in 1857 on farmland owned by Joseph and Samuel Caldwell. Caldwell serves as the county seat of Noble County, the last of Ohio's 88 counties to be organized. The agricultural community prospered and by 1873 was the second-largest producer of tobacco in Ohio. The Pennsylvania Railroad arrived in 1872, and the development of salt, oil, coal, and natural gas extraction companies followed during the 1880s. Two separate fires in 1897 devastated portions of the north and south quadrants of the district. As a result, Caldwell formed a volunteer fire department and the Village Council introduced legislation prohibiting construction of wood buildings within a block of the public square.

The Caldwell Downtown Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2020. Centered on the public square and its 1933-1934 WPA Noble County Courthouse the district bounded by Spruce, West, Bridge, and East Streets. To the east of the Courthouse are the oldest buildings in the district,

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including the 1870 Tipton's Hardware building with its decorative shingled cornice. The Columbia Hotel on the southeast corner and Rempe Building on the northeast corner were two of the first buildings constructed after the 1897 fires. The 1895-1896 Mills (IOOF) Building on the northwest corner once housed a showroom for the local mill. The inclusion of the 1936 WPA Post Office and 1957 Caldwell Municipal and Volunteer Fire Building extends the district's period of significance into the mid-twentieth century.

Erected 2024 by Village of Caldwell, The Ohio State University - Noble County Co., Ohio History Connection. (Marker Number 4-61.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Political Subdivisions • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1857.

Location. 39° 44.87′ N, 81° 31.007′ W. Marker is in Caldwell, Ohio, in Noble County. It is at the intersection of Marietta Road (Ohio Route 821) and West Street, on the right

Caldwell Downtown Historic District Marker (side 2) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, July 14, 2026

2. Caldwell Downtown Historic District Marker (side 2)

when traveling south on Marietta Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 502 Marietta St, Caldwell OH 43724, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest,

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 Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Noble County Jail and Sheriff's Office (within shouting distance of this marker); Noble County Sheriff Charles W. Moore (within shouting distance of this marker); Noble County Historic Jail (within shouting distance of this marker); Noble County Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); VFW Post 4721 (within shouting distance of this marker); Robert T. Secrest (within shouting distance of this marker); Caldwell (approx. 0.2 miles away); VFW Post #4721 Veterans Memorial (approx.

Caldwell Downtown Historic District Marker; Noble County Courthouse in the background image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, July 14, 2026

3. Caldwell Downtown Historic District Marker; Noble County Courthouse in the background

¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Caldwell.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 13, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 4, 2026, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 10 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 4, 2026, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.