The third Courthouse to sit on the public square in Newark was built in 1832, when the material of the 1815 structure began to give way.  Unwilling to stand by while the building crumbled around them, the people of Newark looked for a builder to give a new face to the public square.  They eventually settled on one William Green, who began his work at once.  However, it seems that the people were keeping a close watch on Green and his workers.  Critical eyes watched the foundation go up, and people grew concerned that Green's work was not up to snuff.  Green's contract was voided and new builders, Josiah Spaulding and Mark London of Zanesville, were contracted to finish the work.   When this third courthouse was completed, it was in a style known as Greek Revival, considered by some to be the first truly American form of architecture.  As the picture illustrates, it was two stories in height, made of stone.  

Greek Revival Architecture
The 19th century saw a re-emergence in interest in Ancient Rome and Greece, both in the Europe and here in the United States.  By around 1800, scholars were conducting archaeological digs and gaining new access to buildings like the Parthenon in Greece. This interest was reflected in contemporary American architecture, as architects consciously attempted to incorporate Greek design elements in their buildings.  The success of Greek Revival architecture in America owes much to an unlikely source: founding father Thomas Jefferson, who had a personal interest in architecture and an even deeper interest in the history of democratic governments.  In 1803, Jefferson appointed Benjamin Henry Latrobe as surveyor of public buildings in Washington D.C.  Latrobe, who has been called "the Father of American Architecture," went on to design the United States Capitol building in the Greek Revival style.  The Greek style was particularly appealing to the American spirit, because it conveyed strength, steadfastness, and above all a dedication to democratic ideals.  Latrobe and the students who studied under his tutelage went on to popularize the style. By 1832 the style had made its way to smaller cities as far west as Illinois, including Newark.  This third courthouse was very similar to the Ohio Statehouse in nearby Columbus, which was constructed from 1838-1857 on a much larger scale.  

The Public Square
The community of Newark had a new courthouse to enjoy, but unfortunately the grounds on which it sat were unattractive and ill-kempt.  There had been no organized attempts to clean up the landscape of the public square.  The stagnant ponds filled with frogs continued to plague visitors and workers in the courthouse alike.  In 1837, Israel Dille was elected Mayor of Newark.  Dille, who himself kept a beautiful garden, saw to it that these problems were addressed.  The grounds were leveled, tree stumps were removed, and the frog problem was solved once and for all.  The beautification of the grounds made the courthouse itself look more impressive, and it turned the public square into a popular picnicking spot.

Abraham Lincoln's Inaugural Train
In 1861, anyone bold enough to enjoy a picnic on the public square in the middle of an Ohio winter would have been the accidental audience to our nation's sixteenth president.  Abraham Lincoln's inaugural train came through Newark on February 14, 1861-Valentine's Day.  The train was taking Lincoln from his hometown of Springfield, Illinois to Washington DC, where he would assume the presidency.   It was customary for the train to make stops along the way, so that Lincoln, a gifted orator, could address the crowds who gathered there.  Lincoln's train was expected to make a stop in Newark, but unfortunately the conductor mistakenly drove the train right past the place where it ought to have stopped!  The train instead rolled to a stop near the courthouse, where there were no waiting crowds.  Lincoln, observing the mistake, said:

"I understand that arrangements were made for something of a speech from me here, when the train moved down, but it has gone so far that it has deprived me of addressing the many fair ladies assembled, while it has deprived them of observing my very interesting countenance. It is impossible for me to make you a speech: there is not time, so I bid you farewell."

Lincoln's train continued on, and no doubt many women of Newark suffered a Valentine's Day disappointment.

Return to the Virtual Tour

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.
Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. The University of Michigan.  <http://quod.lib.umich.edu/l/lincoln/>
"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 1." The Licking County Historical Society Quarterly.  Vol.7, no. 2: 1997.
Newark American Tribune,  February 14, 1861.
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 Story of Licking County's Courthouses."  Licking County Bicentennial Commission's Publications Committee, 1976.