{"nrhp_refnum":"79001863","name":"Hardin County Courthouse","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"Courthouse Sq.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Kenton","county":"Hardin County","state":"OH","lat":40.64738237700004,"lon":-83.60888379999994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1979-03-21","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Politics/Government","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A three-story Neoclassical Revival county courthouse on Court House Square in Kenton, Hardin County, Ohio, built 1913-1915 to designs by Richards, McCarty and Bulford. It fills an entire city block in downtown Kenton.","why_significant":"The nomination calls the building an excellent example of Neoclassical Revival courthouse architecture and the seat of government for Hardin County. It replaced earlier courthouses from 1834 and 1880 on the same square, and it still houses county offices and courts.","narrative":"Occupying a full city block in downtown Kenton, the Hardin County Courthouse is a symmetrical three-story building of smooth ashlar stone with a rusticated first floor, Doric pilasters, and projecting east and west pavilions with Ionic columns and triangular pediments. A stone balustrade rings the roofline. Inside, marble floors, oak woodwork, grand stone staircases, coffered ceilings, and a leaded glass skylight over the central well give each floor a distinct character, and murals depict early meetings of Native Americans and settlers. Architects Richards, McCarty and Bulford designed it after county commissioners decided in 1912 to replace the 1880 courthouse, and voters approved the bonds that year. The cornerstone was laid on September 25, 1913, and the building was dedicated on May 12, 1915. It is recognized as a fine example of Neoclassical Revival courthouse design and continues to serve as the county seat of government, with offices and courtrooms on every floor.","period_of_significance":"1913-1915","architect_builder":"Richards, McCarty and Bulford (architects); Steininger, Taylor Construction Company of St. Louis, Missouri (contractor)","architectural_style":"Neoclassical Revival","criteria":[],"status_note":"Described as in excellent condition and occupied, housing county government offices and courts; terraces and light fixtures were being restored at the time of the form.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:53:12.637552-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/79001863.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/79001863/47f964f84e-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/79001863/47f964f84e-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 4.0","author":"Christopher L. Riley","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hardin_County_Courthouse_%E2%80%94_Kenton,_Ohio.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Christopher L. Riley</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hardin_County_Courthouse_%E2%80%94_Kenton,_Ohio.jpg"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"84003722","name":"Kenton Courthouse Square Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/ohio/kenton-courthouse-square-historic-district-84003722/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71989300","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardin_County_Courthouse_(Ohio)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2493272"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/ohio/hardin-county/hardin-county-courthouse-79001863/"}