Clearfield County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Built in 1860 on a contract awarded to George Thorn of Clearfield, the two-and-one-half story brick courthouse has a square central tower capped by a bell-shaped roof, a six-bay brick portico, and heavy dentils under boxed cornices. Its tower was rebuilt after an architectural error and was completed in 1862. An 1882 addition to the rear, by Thorn and Burchfield of Clearfield, altered the roof and upper portion and was finished by 1884. The courthouse is valued for its role as the center of county government and for the lawyers and public leaders associated with it. It is also regarded as one of the oldest surviving courthouses in the region, at a time when many early public buildings have been replaced. Its 1882 addition reflects the growth of the local lumber economy, and the building is linked to later iron, coal and industrial expansion in the county.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the courthouse is a very well preserved symbol of government and political life in the largest county in western Pennsylvania and one of the oldest surviving courthouses in the region. It is also presented as the focus of a concentration of Victorian architecture in downtown Clearfield. The survival of the 1860 building is described as unusual in western Pennsylvania, where most counties built third courthouses between 1890 and 1910.
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 79002210, listed April 27, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2nd and Market Sts., Clearfield |
|---|---|
| County | Clearfield County |
| Listed | April 27, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002210 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1860-1884 |
| Architect / builder | George Thorn (builder/contractor); Thorn and Burchfield (1882 addition contract) |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in 1979; the document describes the physical condition as excellent or good in the description checkboxes. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 41.02224, -78.43753 (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 79002210.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5130849
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.