Ashtabula County is named for the Ashtabula River which means “fish river” or “river of many fish” in the Algonguian language.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Lake Erie and Ontario, Canada
E – Erie County, Pennsylvania and Crawford County, Pennsylvania
S – Trumbull County
W – Geauga County and Lake County
Created: June 7, 1807 
County Seat:
Jefferson 1807 – present
Old County Courthouse – Jefferson
Location: 25 West Jefferson Street / North Chestnut Street
Built: 1851 – 1852
Style: Italianate
Architect: Willis Smith of Kinsman (1836)
Contractor: Benjamin Wade
Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Jefferson. The south front has a square red colored brick tower with four columns on the first story with recessed entrance. The roof is hipped. After a fire in 1850, the building was rebuilt in 1851 to 1852 on the framework of the earlier 1836 courthouse. The contractor was . The building was enlarged in 1891. The architect was John Woolly and the contractor was Timothy Caldwell. The building was renovated in 1910. The architect was J L Wilson. The building now houses the County Commissioners.
County Courthouse – Jefferson
Location: 25 West Jefferson Street / North Chestnut Street
Built: 1969 – 1970
Style: Modern
Architect: Kujala and Koski
Contractor: Burns Construction Company
Description: The building faces east and is a two story buff colored brick, glass and concrete structure. The east front has a glass wall section at the north end which projects from the main building. The central entrance has glass windows above on the second story. The roof line is flat. The building houses the County Court of Common Pleas, County Court of Common Pleas – Juvenile Division and County Court of Common Pleas – Probate Division.
See: Ohio Court of Appeals – Warren ( 11th Appellate District )
History: The county was created in 1807 and Jefferson was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was built by Timothy Caldwell of Washington DC in 1811. The courthouse was torn down and the second courthouse was designed and built by Willis Smith of Kinsman in 1835 to 1836. The courthouse burned on August 17, 1850. The courthouse was rebuilt in 1851 to 1852 as the third courthouse and is still standing. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1969 to 1970.
Lawyers Row – Jefferson
Location: 25 West Jefferson Street / North Chestnut Street
Built: 1869 – 1870
Style: Italianate
Architect: J M Watters
Contractor: J M Watters
Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick structure. The building is located on the north side of the old courthouse in the center of Jefferson.
Old County Courthouse – Jefferson
County Courthouse – Jefferson
Photos taken 2010