Van Wert County Courthouse

Built in 1876 in the Second Empire architecture in the United States and Canada. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. A historic map-sheet match is not published yet. The record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary.

From the record

“The Van Wert County Courthouse is a historic governmental building in downtown Van Wert, Ohio, United States. Main Street, the courthouse is a Second Empire structure built in 1876.”
Wikipedia article Van Wert County Courthouse, CC BY-SA 4.0.

one of 7 National Register listings in Van Wert County · listed in 1974 · category: Building · built in 1876, Second Empire architecture in the United States and Canada, by Q7791156.

Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service

The listing

What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 1 building as contributing to the listing.
Address. 121 E. Main St., Van Wert, 45891
When was it listed? 1974-07-30
Category. building
Township. Pleasant township
When was it built? 1876
Architectural style. Second Empire architecture in the United States and Canada
Architect. Q7791156
National Register reference number. 74001639 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

Specimens collected near this property

12 of 140 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. Museums hold 140 specimens collected within 10 miles of Van Wert County Courthouse between 1837 and 1965: 132 Animalia, 4 Fungi, 3 Plantae, 1 Chromista. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by Adler, K. K., Bonnewitz L. R.; Stevenson J. A., Bonnewitz Lee R. and others. Each is a physical object with a catalogue number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be concluded from a species being absent.

Species	Year	Collected by	Where, as recorded
Geranium maculatum L.	1837	Frank	Van Wert Co., Ohio
Cerastium glomeratum Thuill.	1850	not recorded	Ohio City.
Carpiodes cyprinus (Lesueur, 1817)	1893	P. Kirsch	Hoaglin Creek, Oakwood, Ohio
Hybopsis amblops (Rafinesque, 1820)	1893	P. Kirsch	Hoaglin Creek, Oakwood, Ohio
Lepomis megalotis (Rafinesque, 1820)	1893	P. Kirsch	Hoaglin Creek, Oakwood, Ohio
Albugo platensis (Speg.) Swingle	1921	Stevenson, John A.	Van Wert
Cladosporium paeoniae Pass.	1921	Stevenson John A.	Van Wert
Puccinia iridis Wallr.	1921	Stevenson J. A.	Van Wert
Charadrius vociferus vociferus Linnaeus, 1758	1922	Price, H. (Homer)	Van Wert, Ohio, USA
Dendrocopos pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766)	1922	Price, H. (Homer)	near Paulding Co line, Blue Creek Banks, Van Wert, Ohio, USA
Sialia sialis sialis (Linnaeus, 1758)	1922	not recorded	No specific locality recorded.
Bubo virginianus (J.F.Gmelin, 1788)	1926	Price, H. (Homer)	Van Wert, Ohio, USA

All 140 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Mines and quarries near this property

1 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Van Wert County Courthouse: 1 plant. All of them still produce. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where	Site	Commodity	Status	Recorded
	Ridge Township Quarry & Mill	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Plant

Every working recorded in Van Wert County

Storms near this property

60 since 1994

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Van Wert, the town this property stands in, in 60 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 45 thunderstorm wind, 12 hail, 2 tornado, 1 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
June 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	$50,000	Twelve power poles down between Stripe Rd and Mendon Rd near the Vantage Career Center.
April 1994	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	$50,000	Winds of 65 mph were reported in Van Wert at 0230 EST. At 0240 EST trees were reported downed, one on a car. A tractor-semitrailer was blown over on route 30.
June 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	$40,000	Emergency management officials reported a 12-inch diameter tree down onto a car. The roof was blown off the Brookside Dairy Convenience Building. Damage is estimated at $40,000.
June 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	$30,000	Several trees and power lines down around town, including a tree on a house.
June 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	$30,000	Bell tower collapsed at St Marys Church in Van Wert.
June 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	$25,000	Barn blown over. Several trees and power lines down.
December 1996	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	$25,000	no account filed
January 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	$15,000	Seven power poles were reported blown down southeast of Van Wert by emergency management officials.
June 2009	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	$10,000	Emergency management officials reported a power pole down 2 miles southeast of Van Wert.
June 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	$10,000	Barn destroyed. Trees down.
August 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	$6,000	Law enforcement officials reported tree limbs were broken off by the winds and fell onto a transformer, causing some damage. Damage is estimated at $6,000.
July 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	$5,000	A wind gust to 68 mph was measured in Van Wert. A small portable trailer was flipped over.
July 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	$5,000	Numerous trees downed.
July 1996	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	$3,000	no account filed
May 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	$2,000	Amateur radio reported a semi truck blown over in Van Wert.
June 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	$2,000	Trees reported down in the city of Van Wert.
July 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	$1,000	Tree down on US Route 127 south of Van Wert.
April 2025	Hail	Van Wert	$1,000	no account filed
July 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	A few trees limbs were down on Jefferson Street.
July 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	A trained spotter reported a tree was blown down.
May 2020	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Two three foot diameter trees and several limbs were snapped along with some shingles blown off a home along a one mile stretch. Damage consistent with straight line winds.
July 2020	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	EM reports numerous trees and power lines down. Location approximate. Time estimated from radar.
September 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Emergency management officials reported 10 to 12 inch diameter tree limbs down.
May 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Emergency management officials reported a tree fell onto a car with some other minor structural damage occurring in town. Numerous other trees were blown down.
May 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Emergency management officials reported numerous trees were blown down in the city of Van Wert.
August 2016	Tornado (EF0)	Van Wert	-	Damage found from aerial survey by Emergency Management of mainly crop damage to corn and beans. Tornado skipped once in middle of this path. Maximum winds were estimated at 65 mph.
May 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Emergency management officials reported a large tree down across the road on the north side of Van Wert. Several large tree limbs and phone lines were also down as a result of thunderstorm winds.
May 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	The public reported several trees and tree limbs down within the city limits of Van Wert. Diameters ranged from three to six inches with one measuring about a foot in diameter. The larger one did have some rot in it.
July 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Emergency management officials reported a power line fell onto a car in Van Wert. No injuries were reported.
November 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	A 62 mph wind gust was recorded at the Van Wert Middle School.
June 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Emergency management officials reported hundreds of trees down across the county. Widespread power outages as a result of major transmission poles, numbering at least 443, between Van Wert and Ottawa being blown down or snapped. Roofs were reported damaged on many homes, with cars and trucks flipped in portions of the county.
August 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Emergency management official recorded a 58 mph wind gust in Van Wert.
August 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Emergency management officials reported a two and one half foot diameter tree, with signs of some rotting, snapped at the base on the east side of Van Wert.
May 2011	Hail	Van Wert	-	Emergency management officials observed ping pong size hail at the Van Wert County Emergency Operations Center.
May 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	A 58 mph wind gust was recorded at the Emergency Operations Center in Van Wert.
October 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Emergency management officials reported a semi was rolled on US 30.
March 2009	Hail	Van Wert	-	A trained spotter reported dime to nickle size hail covering the ground in Van Wert.
June 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Emergency management officials reported trees and tree limbs down in the city of Van Wert.
May 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Numerous large tree limbs down.
May 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Emergency management reported a telephone pole down in Van Wert.
July 2004	Flash Flood	Van Wert	-	Westwood drive flooded in the city of Van Wert, with water 2 to 3 feet deep. One truck was stranded in the flood waters. Several other roads in flooded in the city.
July 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Emergency management reported trees and power lines down in Van Wert.
July 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Sheriff dispatch reported trees down west of Van Wert.
July 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Emergency management reported trees down in Van Wert.
September 2002	Tornado (F0)	Van Wert	-	County Emergency Management reported the tornado touched down at 300 yards north of Kear Road in the city of Van Wert and 300 yards east of John Brown Road. It continued on the ground for around 4 miles, causing roof damage to 3 homes, as numerous trees twisted and snapped. A barn was also damaged by the tornado. The tornado lifted 1 mile east of US-127 and 1/2 mile north of Convoy Rd. There was another brief touchdown at US-127 and 1/2 mile north of Fife Road, where the tornado traveled roughly 100 yards before dissipating.
July 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Trees down.
July 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	Trees down.
June 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	An observer measured a thunderstorm wind gust of 67 mph.
March 2020	Hail	Van Wert	-	no account filed
May 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	no account filed
May 2004	Hail	Van Wert	-	no account filed
May 2004	Hail	Van Wert	-	no account filed
April 2003	Hail	Van Wert	-	no account filed
June 2002	Hail	Van Wert	-	no account filed
July 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	no account filed
May 2000	Hail	Van Wert	-	no account filed
May 2000	Hail	Van Wert	-	no account filed
June 2000	Hail	Van Wert	-	no account filed
July 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Van Wert	-	no account filed
June 1999	Hail	Van Wert	-	no account filed

Every storm recorded in Van Wert County

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

From the nomination file

1,786 words on record

When this property was proposed for the National Register, someone wrote the case for it: what the building is, and why it matters. That document is a federal record in the public domain. It is quoted below word for word, never summarised. The text was read off the scanned case file by machine, so the occasional stray character is the recogniser's and the 1970s typewriter's.

Description of the property

stone quoins, columns and pilasters of stone, and metal ornamentation faces protected by elaborate hoods, and, above this, a round arcaded shorter in height, but with the same roofline with round hooded the north facade there are square corner towers, very much like those in front but shorter, ending at the mansard roofline and without the rounded Inside, the main entry opens onto a center corridor and original cast iron MAR 2 1 1974 CONDITION cupola. Excellent NATIONAL REGISTER Moved Ruins Unaltered above the windows. of Corinthian columns which support a carved round arch in which there is have been removed.
shouldered mansard roof in which there are placed four round clock bracketed cornice at the roofline and above the cornice metal fleur two under broken pediments which are supported by carved brackets.On are also original.
On the remaining facades the windows are arranged either singly or in Above this modest doorway is the very elaborately decorated face of is stone and forms the walls of the ground floor which is a half- a large round window above a large window with multiple rectangular Fair de lis are evenly spaced around the entire building.Both the mansard windows instead of clock faces.Iron railings at the tower rooflines and central projectionson all but the north facade.The foundation the courtroom the ornately carved woodwork, judge's bench and jury box panes.Above the arch there is a broken pediment and a statue of roof and tower roofs are slate. (Check One) Between the floors there are panelled stone courses. There is a The corridor floors are black and white tile, all original. entrance.
The recessed double doors are plain and are at ground level. Justice. stairs.

Read the complete 1,786-word case file.

Statement of significance

frame and the third and present courthouse, was built in 1874-76. The architect was I. J. Tolan and Sons of Fort Wayne, Indiana. to Van Wert, was exhibited in Philadelphia and received first place A. P. McConnay, a local jeweler. MAR 2 1 1974 1876 losophy Military Communications Architecture Aboriginal Landscape Conservation Engineering Commerce Literature REGISTER NATIONAL Invention Industry Music Prehistoric Agriculture Education Empire building and is one of Ohiois outstanding courthouses. Company and installed during the construction of the tower by Urban Planning in a statue competition.The clock was made by the Boston Clock at Willshire, but was moved to Van Wert in l838.There have been The Van Wert County Courthouse isa fine example ofa Second was built nearly lo0 years ago.
AREAs OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) Van Wert County was formed April 1, 1820 and named for Isaac Van are the clock tower and the statue of Justice. The statue is eight itarian structure has been well cared for and remains very much as it Wart, one of Major Andre's captors.The original county seat was Completed in 1876,the cost was $l09,92l.Two outstanding features Art

The whole case file for this property - 1,786 words, 13 pages, reproduced complete.

Quoted from the National Register nomination for reference 74001639, 13 pages, held by the National Archives in Record Group 79. See the catalogue record.

Listed places nearby

4 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Property	Distance	Listed
Kauke and McCurdy Block	under 500 feet	2021
Brumback Library	0.1 miles	1979
Van Wert Bandstand	1.0 miles	1982
Convoy Opera House-City Hall-Firehouse Building	7.3 miles	2021

Sources for this property

National Archives record	The nomination case file for reference 74001639 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia article	Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
Van Wert County	All 7 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.