Tuscarawas County Courthouse - New Philadelphia, OH
Posted by: 
silverquill
N 40° 29.394 W 081° 26.704
17T E 462282 N 4482228
The Tuscarawas County Courthouse, stands at the center of New Philadelphia, Ohio, where the streets divide between north and south, east and west. It has been honored for historic preservation by the Tuscarawas County Heritage Home Association.
Waymark Code: WMBY7M
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 07/03/2011
Views: 11
The
Tuscararwas Heritage Home Association granted this home a "Historic Marker" status, seeking to encourage restoration and preservation of the area's many historic homes and buildings. Recipients are awarded these plaques in recognition of their achievements in historic preservation. From the Association web site:
"Historic preservation and restoration initiatives nationwide have reversed years of deterioration and decay . . . Our plaque symbolizes a property owner’s respect for these principals . . ."
This building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Designed by Thomas Boyd and built by T.B. Townsend, this is the third courthouse building to occupy this same location originally planned and donated by David Knisely, the founder and designer of the city of New Philadelphia.
From the text of the Historic Marker 3-79:
"When David Knisely, the founder of New Philadelphia, first arrived in the Tuscarawas Valley on August 27, 1803, he found a sparsely populated, pristine wilderness. Five years later the state legislature approved a bill organizing Tuscarawas County effective March 15, 1808. Shortly thereafter, New Philadelphia was chosen as the county seat, and on April 16, 1808, the first commissioners met at Leininger's tavern. By August, the tavern proved to be an inappropriate location for the county's official business, and the commissioners approved the construction of a two-story, combination jail and county office building on land donated by John Knisely on the northeast corner of the square. By 1818 a new, larger brick courthouse was authorized by the commissioners. This building was occupied in 1825 and served as the courthouse until 1882 when the present structure was approved. Occupied in 1888, the building continues to be the center of the county's business. The beautiful, state-of-the-art annex was dedicated on October 27, 1990."
According to the official city web site, New Philadelphia was founded in 1804 by John Knisely from Pennsylvania who had become good friends with David Zeisberger of the nearby Schoenbrunn mission begun by the Moravians in 1722 working among the local native population. Knisley returned to his home, sold everything and moved his family, along with 33 pioneers who accompanied him to this frontier. He purchased the land that is now the city of New Philadelphia and began careful and deliberate planning for a great city. New Philadelphia was selected as the county seat for the newly formed county of Tuscarawas in 1807, and was officially incorporated in 1833.
There are several war memorials and monuments here, the largest being one erected for the veterans of the U.S. Civil War. The building is capped by a large dome with a four-faced clock. It has been honored with a "Historic Marker" designation by the Tuscarawas County Heritage Home Association.