Tuscarawas County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Tuscarawas County Courthouse, on Courthouse Square in New Philadelphia, was built between 1882 and 1885 to house the county's growing business. Architect Thomas Boyd designed it, and contractor T. B. Townsend carried out the major construction, at a cost of $99,860. Earlier courts met in a log tavern, and later in a frame courthouse and a 1830s building. The present courthouse is about 120 feet square and rises three stories over a rock-faced stone foundation, with smooth-dressed stone above. A recessed arched entrance on the south side has Doric and Corinthian columns and a pediment. A slate hipped roof carries a metal dome about seventy feet high with four clock faces, considered one of the building's finest features. Later changes, including aluminum windows and removed walls behind the columns, altered the exterior, especially on the second floor. The courthouse remains in government use and is recognized for its architecture and its role in county affairs.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites the courthouse for its architecture, including a stone exterior, Doric and Corinthian detailing and a prominent metal dome with four clock faces. It also records the building as the county's replacement for earlier, outgrown courthouses, built at a cost of $99,860.
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 73001544, listed July 16, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Courthouse Sq., New Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Tuscarawas County |
| Listed | July 16, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001544 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (built 1882-1885) |
| Architect / builder | Architect Thomas Boyd; contractor T. B. Townsend |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition and occupied for government use. The form notes numerous alterations, including aluminum-framed windows and removal of walls behind the columns, and says the dome is well maintained. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.49007, -81.44492 (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 73001544.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7856684
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.