The old Montgomery County courthouse is one of Dayton’s (and Ohio’s) finest architectural treasures. Fortunately you can find it still standing right near the center of downtown.
The foundation for the courthouse was laid in 1847 and the job took three years to complete. Here is a rare early shot of the building during construction:
First Courthouse in Dayton
Before this, however, Dayton court proceedings occurred in much more modest settings. The first courthouse as of 1803 was Newcom Tavern, which also served as post office, school, general store, and jail.
A dedicated brick courthouse was soon built in 1806, but it was so makeshift that it did not even have tables in it until 1811.
Dayton’s major growth in the subsequent decades of the 1800s, fueled by the opening of the Miami and Erie canal among other factors, eventually necessitated the construction of a grand new court building.
Design, Construction and Controversy
When it was finished, the “old” court house was considered by some to be the most elegant building in the state, but also one the most costly, which proved controversial. The building would house many legal battles over the years, but a ballooning construction contract sparked one of its own before it had even opened.
Howard Daniels of New York was the architect, using a design suggested by Daytonian Horace Pease who was inspired by a book of sketches of Greek architecture. The contract to build the courthouse was awarded to John W. Carey who had bid $20,000.
But over the three years of construction, there were many changes requested which effectively canceled the contract. Carey sued the county after it had refused to pay the bill. The judgment, which was given at a court in Troy, awarded him double the amount.
Architecture and Significance
Despite this episode, the building was an immense accomplishment.
Each of the two original doors were made of iron weighing one ton. The structure utilized massive blocks of granite from the old Beavertown quarries on Wilmington Ave. It also featured stone flooring and a basement with brick arches and six-foot-thick walls.
The court house is modeled on the Temple of Hephaestus in Athens, Greece from the 5th century BC. The interior is “traditional Greek temple form and includes a high ceiling vestibule, center hall procession that leads to the rotunda and elliptical courtroom.”
The court house may still be here, but its surroundings are practically unrecognizable from when it was constructed.
The old county jail once stood to its west, and a larger new courthouse was built directly to the north which has also since been demolished. Both can be seen in this old photograph:
Here is another angle of the old court house as it appeared in the 1800s. Note the horse-drawn carriages on Main Street, as well as the trees that are no longer present in the previous image:
The prominence of the old court house extends far beyond the Gem City.
It “appears in virtually every architectural textbook printed in the United States” as it is considered “one of the finest examples of Greek-Revival architecture in the nation.”
The old courthouse has long been the backdrop for all types of civic purposes in addition to its official court role, from raising war bonds to celebrating high school sports victories.
It has also welcomed many presidential campaigns over the years, including Abraham Lincoln’s 1859 visit. Other presidents who have spoken from the courthouse steps include Andrew Johnson, James Garfield, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton.
Old and New Courthouses of Montgomery County
What used to be known as the “new” courthouse was built from 1881-1884 directly next to the old court house. These buildings functioned as county court until the 1960s when the modern Montgomery County Courthouse was completed a few blocks to the west.
The old courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
Soon after, the 1884 “new” courthouse was demolished for the construction of Courthouse Square.
The Old Court House Today: Trial Reenactments to Weddings
The old courthouse lives on thanks to multiple renovations, the most significant occurring in 2003-2005. Today the old courthouse is owned by Dayton History and is used as an event venue.
Special tours can be arranged and events including weddings of up to 150 people (100 seated) can be booked year-round. Contact Dayton History for more info.
Another popular event held at the old courthouse is the Old Case Files, an interactive court drama in which interpreters and volunteers reenact a murder trial from the early 20th century.
As Dayton’s most cherished downtown landmark, the old courthouse is a great example of preservation and adaptation to a new age.
Sources
- Craig MacIntosh’s Dayton Sketchbook
- Historic images courtesy of Dayton Metro Library
- mcohio.org
- https://montcourt.oh.gov/about-our-courts/general-information/old-montgomery-courthouse/
- https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/OH-01-113-0026
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