Morrow County Courthouse And Jail
Why it's listed
Courthouse Square in Mount Gilead holds two county government buildings: a courthouse from 1851-1852 and a jail from about 1875. Morrow County was created in 1848, and Mount Gilead was named its seat, an event celebrated with bonfires in the streets. The courthouse, designed by David Auld and built by Auld and Miller for $10,800, began as a Greek Revival structure. Between 1894 and 1896 the architects Williams and Andrews redesigned it at a cost of $27,948, giving it a brick facade with a recessed compound arch, pilasters, a dentil cornice and a square clock tower with a pagoda-shaped roof. The brick jail has a mansard roof of gray slate, round-headed dormers, ornate hoodmolds, rusticated quoins and a central tower with a lantern. A cellblock addition was made after 1890. Both buildings remain in good condition within a wooded, park-like setting near the center of town.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites the buildings for their architecture and their place in the county's government since Morrow County was formed in 1848. The courthouse was designed by David Auld as a Greek Revival building and was remodeled in 1894-1896 by Williams and Andrews. The jail is an 1870s example with a mansard roof and tower.
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 74001586, listed July 25, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Courthouse Sq., Mount Gilead |
|---|---|
| County | Morrow County |
| Listed | July 25, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001586 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (built 1851-1852, remodeled 1894-1896; jail circa 1875) |
| Architect / builder | David Auld (designer) and Auld and Miller (builders) for the original courthouse; Williams and Andrews for the 1894-1896 remodeling |
| Architectural style | Originally Greek Revival (courthouse); late nineteenth century remodeling; jail with mansard roof |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Both buildings are described as in good condition, occupied, and in government use, in a park-like wooded setting. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.54928, -82.82638 (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.
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 74001586.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15256363
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.