First Hancock County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Hancock County's first courthouse is a two-story frame building now standing at 819 Park Street in Findlay. The county commissioners set its specifications in 1831, and a bid of $700 from William Taylor, Frederick Henderson and Jonathan Parker was accepted in 1832. It was finished in 1833 and used as a courthouse, school and church until 1840. It was then sold and became the American House Hotel, later the Carr House. Over the years it served as a dentist's office, a drug store and other shops, and as a residence and duplex. It was moved in 1862 and again in 1913, after being condemned by the fire marshal and after an unsuccessful effort to make it a museum. The building is believed to be the oldest in Findlay and keeps its original front door frame, window placement, walnut stairway and a notable entranceway with transom and sidelights. A local preservation guild bought it in 1973.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant as the believed oldest building in Findlay and for the many public and private uses it has served. It also retains its original appearance as described in the 1831 county commissioners' specifications, despite being moved. Its plain, functional design is set off by an eloquent entranceway.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 76001454, listed March 13, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 819 Park St., Findlay |
|---|---|
| County | Hancock County |
| Listed | March 13, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001454 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | William Taylor, Frederick Henderson, Jonathan Parker |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the Historic Preservation Guild of Hancock County, which is preserving it; the form checks unoccupied and work in progress, with plans for museum and public meeting house use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.03237, -83.64366 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 76001454.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5453068
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.