Muskingum County - American Courthouses

Muskingum County is named for a Native American word meaning “a town by the river” or “by the river side”.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Coshocton County

E – Guernsey County and Noble County

S – Morgan County

W – Perry County and Licking County

Created: March 1, 1803

County Seat:

Zanesville 1803 – present

County Courthouse – Zanesville

Location: 401 Main Street / 4th Street

Built: 1874 – 1877

Style: Classical Revival / Italianate

Architect: Henry E Myer of Cleveland

Contractor: T B Townsend of Zanesville

Description: The building faces south and is a three story buff colored brick and stone structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Zanesville. The south front has a one story portico on the first story with four columns rising to a balcony on the second story. The second story has an arch with small arched windows on each side. Above is ornamentation with a projecting balcony at the roof line. At the base of the tower are porticos with columns rising to pediments. At the top is a clock with steep roof above. The building has a decorative tiles mansard roof with small dormers and large corner dormers. In the interior are high ceilings, ornate plasterwork , mosaic tile flooring and grand staircases with iron and wood. The County Court of Common Pleas courtrooms have wood paneling. The building houses the County Court of Common Pleas – General and Probate Divisions. On the north side is the Law Administration Building constructed in 1993.

See: The architect, Henry E Myer, also designed courthouses in Athens County, Columbiana County, Erie County and Licking County..

History: The county was created in 1803 and Zanesville was selected as the county seat in 1804. The court first met in the tavern of Davis Harvey at Main Street and Third Street. The second courthouse was a two story brick structure built by James Hampson and Jacob Houk in 1809 at a cost of $7,500. The building served as the Ohio Statehouse from 1810 to 1812. An addition was built in 1833 at a cost of $3,642. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1874 to 1877 at a cost of $221,657.

See: Ohio Court of Appeals – Canton ( 5th Appellate District )