Present Courthouse under construction in 1877

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Virtual Tour: Licking County Courthouse

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Photo of Present Courthouse under construction in 1877

After the third Licking County Courthouse was more or less gutted by fire in 1875, the community expressed its desire for a new and grander courthouse, one which would last well into the next century and hopefully not fall out of fashion so quickly. The county's growing population required a larger courthouse with more courtrooms and more offices. Several architects and firms offered their plans for the new building, but after much community deliberation, architect H.E. Myer of Cleveland was chosen to design the fourth (and current) courthouse.

The Architect
Henry E. Myer was born in Buffalo, New York in 1837. The Mijer family of the Netherlands had immigrated to New York from Amsterdam in the 17th century, where the family name became Myer. In 1866 Henry started working as a draftsman and later an architect in Cleveland. While in Cleveland he designed the Broadway Opera House and a few other smaller commissions. However, Myer's primary life's work was designing courthouses in Ohio, many of which still stand today.   His courthouses in Stark County and Richland County have since been demolished, but the courthouses in Athens, Zanesville, and Sandusky are still in use. And, of course, the Licking County Courthouse in Newark--one of his final designs before his death in 1881-retains much of Myer's original work. Myer was committed to the Northern Ohio Lunatic Asylum in 1879, an incident which would have consequences for his reputation in Newark. He died young, at the age of 44, but left a remarkably strong impression on the face of several Ohio cities.   No picture of Myer is known to exist, and he proves difficult to track. In part this is due to frequent misspellings of his last name, but much of the confusion is thanks to the fact that one state away in Michigan, an architect named Elijah. E. Myers was leading a parallel career designing courthouses and-ironically-a mental asylum.

The Design
H. E. Myer's plans for the Newark Courthouse called for a building made of brick and white sandstone, measuring 116x97 feet. The main building was four floors, containing the beautiful and ornamented west courtroom and many offices. The crowning glory of the building was the iron dome 180 feet high, containing a belfry and a large clock, all surrounded on the edifice by four statues of the mythical figure of Justice.   The façade was designed to present an overall impression of balance: all four outer sides of the Courthouse were identical. The building was one of earliest examples of American Second Empire architecture in Ohio, a style with heavy French influences. The Mansard roof, also called the French roof, is the most prominent and recognizable Second Empire design element to be found on the courthouse.

Construction and Completion
Construction on the new Courthouse began in 1876. In order to cut costs, the primary material was switched from brick to Sandusky blue limestone. The corner stone was laid on July 4, 1876, which happened to be the nation's centennial celebration. Newark's Independence Day celebrations included the laying of the stone, which contained coins, newspapers, and other memorabilia to act as a time capsule. The public awaited the new Courthouse with anticipation, watching patiently for over two years as the structure slowly went up on the square. On Saturday, October 19, 1878, the new Courthouse was finally completed. The dedication was a spectacular event, a ceremonial affair which brought people from all over the county out to watch. The Newark Advocate declared the building to be "the masterpiece of Myer's architectural triumphs. No mere words can adequately describe the building; it must be seen to be appreciated." A band played a fanfare in Myer's honor at the dedication, and for the moment the new courthouse and its architect were the toast of Newark.   The courthouse had cost $190,000 to build and furnish, but the taxpayers considered the investment well worth it.

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Sources:

Brister, E. M. P. Centennial History of the City of Newark and Licking County, Ohio. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Pub. Co, 1909.
Campen, Richard N. Ohio--an Architectural Portrait. Chagrin Falls, Ohio: West Summit Press, 1973.
"Classic Courthouse: Landmark sparkles on square." The Newark Advocate, May 17, 1987.
Cleveland Landmarks Commission.     http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/landmark/arch/pdf/archdetailPrint.php?afil=&archID    =184
"Courthouse combines many building styles." The Newark Advocate, October 9, 2005.
Donald Myer, AIA, great-grandson of Henry Myer. Email correspondence with Arnold Shaheen, March 31, 2009.
"History of the Licking County Courthouses of Newark, Ohio." Licking County Historical Society. Baker Video & Film Production, 1997.
Howe, Henry. Historical Collections of Ohio: An Encyclopedia of the State, vol. II. Cincinnati: C.J. Krehbiel & Co, 1902.
Huff, W.T. "Licking County Courthouses, part 2." The Licking County Historical Society Quarterly. Vol.7, no. 2: 1997.
Myer, H.E. "Original Specifications for the erection of a Court-House, to be built in the City of Newark, County of Licking, and State of Ohio." Courtesy of the Licking County Historical Society archives.
"Newark's centerpiece." The Newark Advocate, November 19, 1989.
"Our courthouse is now historic." The Newark Advocate, April 9, 1973.
Pierson, William Harvey. American Buildings and Their Architects. New York: Oxford University Press, 1986.
Roth, Leland M. A Concise History of American Architecture. 1st ed. New York: Harper & Row, 1979.
Smucker, Isaac. Centennial History of Licking County, Ohio: Read at the Centennial Celebration of the Licking Co. Agricultural Society, at the "Old Fort," July 4th, 1876. [Evansville ,Ind: Unigraphic, inc, 1976.
"The New Court House: the Size and Structure of the Edifice; its Acceptance and Dedication." The Newark Advocate, October 29, 1878.
"The Story of Licking County's Courthouses." Licking County Bicentennial Commission's Publications Committee, 1976.

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