May 2026.
After visiting Westerville recently, I had some spare time and decided to travel back to Newark to retake some photos. I did this for several reasons, in large part due to the fact that the Home Building Association Bank (designed by Louis Sullivan) was closed for renovations when I first visited in January 2025, but has since reopened. I also wasn’t satisfied with my cursory coverage of downtown and the poor weather that day. I didn’t seek out to redo everything, just bolster what existing photos I had, and get more of some more notable buildings. For these specific posts that revisit a building which had its own post already, I’ll skip the history and dive straight into the photos part. If you want to read about the Licking County Courthouse’s history, you can read my first post here.
Photos
Besides Louis Sullivan’s bank, I wanted to redo Licking County’s courthouse next. As of writing this article, I have actually been inside several county courthouses (Muskingum, Guernsey, Logan, Cuyahoga), instead of just taking exterior photos like the posts that exist on my blog right now. (Don’t worry, those will be processed and uploaded soon.) In the past, I was only able to visit on weekends, when county courthouses are typically closed. This time, since it was a weekday, I was able to get inside.
However, due to Newark’s larger population or what-have-you, it was more difficult than usual to gain access to the courthouse. I usually don’t have issues visiting courthouses, as the officers typically just X-ray my bag and send me on my way. This time, the guy sitting by the X-ray was rather leery, and he had to radio a superior to see if I was even allowed to take photos in the first place. (Courthouses are public buildings, so this surprised me.) I had to do the usual spiel: “I’m an architecture student at Ohio State, blah blah blah,” and after side-eyeing me a bit more, he acquiesced but said a sheriff had to supervise me the entire time. At least Officer Thundercock who they sent me up with was pretty relaxed and just let me do my thing, and I was even able to access the main courtroom.
Much better oblique view:
Exterior from 3rd Street:
A better-lit view of the porch:
I zoomed in a bit on the tower, too.
Pilasters and vents for the bell tower:
Golden dome:
Lady Justice:
Datestone:
I have more numerous exterior photos on my original post, but these are better-lit and more thoughtfully composed.
Most of these rectangular Second Empire courthouses have a similar plan--a central atrium with four branching hallways. This one is no different. Licking County’s is unusually intact, as most of the others have been more heavily altered over time with paint and removal of original features.
Usually there’s a cop at that desk, but I had him move out of the way, which he seemed happy to oblige. Anyways, this is a pretty typical look for one of these courthouses--historic details mixed with modern amenities.
I really love this ceiling medallion and ornamental trim, which are undoubtedly original:
Looking down one of the hallways, with its detailed iron staircase:
Not a fan of the fluorescent lightbulbs, but the pattern on the stair risers is pretty cool.
The staircases don’t end with a newel post, but a column that also supports the arched entrances to the rotunda:
Looking down one of the larger hallways:
The officer took me up to the second floor, where I saw a rotunda similar to the first floor:
The stairway behind seems to once have had a skylight, which has been covered over:
More of this trim and plaster has been painted white, however. The only splash of color beyond the floor is the ceiling medallion:
Even though the door’s wooden trim has been painted white, the transom still has the original golden sign:
Also note the snazzy mosaic tile floor through the doorway.
I didn’t see the courtroom at the end of this hallway, but the officer let me glance inside to make sure it wasn’t anything remarkable. If I recall correctly, it was small and heavily altered, with a drop ceiling and modern light fixtures.
However, he did take me inside the main courtroom, which is what the courthouse is probably best known for. Each county has different policies about where the public is allowed to go, so I was very glad that I could see this one pretty much unimpeded.
This courtroom was restored in 2022, which I mentioned in my last article. It is one of the most elaborate in the entire state, rivaling even the Ohio Statehouse.
Looking down the long end of the room:
The walls are lined with Corinthian pilasters, and several stained-glass windows and busts of Americans of old fill the gaps. This fine level of Second Empire detail was undoubtedly very expensive to construct.
Each rectangular window has a small oxeye window of an 18th-century American above, powdered wig and all:
Looking back at the entrance, which has a mural which appears to depict the signing of the Constitution:
Looking towards the bench:
Interesting that some of the murals seem to have religious themes.
This unusually fine bay has smaller columns, which support an arched window featuring who else but Lady Justice:
Fancy pedimented doorway:
Another very fine niche, which has…a faucet?
The label below this mural reads “SOLOMON’S JUDGEMENT”:
Looking up at the magnificent coffered dome, which features my favorite bit of Victorian-era kitsch--a halo of lightbulbs:
Unlike the rest of the courthouse, these have a more period-correct, warmer hue. Interestingly, it is also oval-shaped.
Hmm…some of these murals seem to be a little risque:
This has precedent in classical art, but I bet some of Licking County’s stodgier residents weren’t pleased about having topless muses on the roof of their courtroom.
At least these cherubim are more modest. The ones on the left undoubtedly represent industry with their tools and gears, but the ones on the right seem more vague. Wealth? Prosperity?
Sources:
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