Perry County is named for Oliver Hazard Perry, who was a naval officer during the War of 1812.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Licking County and Muskingum County
E – Muskingum County and Morgan County
S – Athens County and Hocking County
W – Hocking County and Fairfield County
Created: March 1, 1818 
County Seat:
Somerset 1818 – 1857
New Lexington 1857 – present
County Courthouse – New Lexington
Location: 105 North Main Street / West Brown Street
Built: 1887 – 1888
Style: Richardsonian Romanesque
Architect: Joseph Warren Yost of Cleveland
Contractor: Hilbert Shaus
Description: The building faces northeast and is a three story brown colored stone structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of New Lexington. The northeast front has a projecting center section with large stone arch and recessed entrance. On the second story are three windows with stone framework. Above is an arched window with a turret rising on each side to a gabled roof. On the front corners are two large square towers with steep roofs. On the south side is another stone arch. On the center of the roof is a high square brick tower with clock and open area at the top, turrets and step roof. In the interior is the staircase cast in iron with gold color painting to accent the feature. The woodwork on the walls includes wooden buckeye leaves, symbols of the state of Ohio. There is gilded work that borders the ceiling and painted faux-wood that decorates walls. The arches that fill the courthouse are encased in wood with designs carved into them. The building houses the County Court of Common Pleas – General, Juvenile and Probate. On the west side is the red colored brick County Jail.
Note: The architect, Joseph Warren Yost of Cleveland , designed courthouses in Belmont County, Guernsey County, Harrison County, Holmes County, Miami County, Wood County and Wyandot County.
See: Ohio Court of Appeals – Canton ( 5th Appellate District )
History: The county was created in 1818 and Somerset was selected as the county seat. The court and commissioners met at John Fink’s tavern at Main Street and High Street which served as the first courthouse. The second courthouse was the jail built in 1819 where the courtroom was on the second story. The third courthouse was built in 1828 to 1829 at a cost of $6,600 and is still standing. The county seat was moved to New Lexington in 1857. The fourth courthouse was built in 1857 paid for by the local donations. The fifth and present courthouse was constructed in 1887 to 1888.
Old County Courthouse – Somerset
Location: 100 Public Square / Main Stree
Built: 1828 – 1829
Style: Federal
Architect: James Hampson
Contractor: William P Darst and George Jackson
Description: The building faces southeast and is a two story red colored brick Federal style structure. The building faces southeast and was completed in 1829. The building is set back from the Public Square. The southeast front has a central arched entrance. On the center of the roof is a high white colored wood cupola. The roof is hipped. The building is an example of the “Foursquare Courthouse” form also found in Meigs County and Ross County.
County Courthouse – New Lexington
Photos taken 2012
Images 11