County Courthouses of Ohio [Hardcover]

Susan W. Thrane (Author), Bill Patterson (Photographer), Tom Patterson (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2000

"One crisp, bright November day, my husband and I were driving from Columbus on U.S. Route 33 toward a Thanksgiving family reunion in Chicago. As we approached Wapakoneta, a tower emerged above the treetops. Even at a distance I recognised it as part of a courthouse; Ohioans easily identify them, especially in smaller communities throughout the state. But my sight of the courthouse that morning brought many questions to mind. Who built it? When? Why does it look the way it does? What is inside? After seeing one, have you seen them all? Before the turkey was carved, I had resolved to visit Ohio's eighty-eight county courthouses and find out the answers for myself." - Susan W. Thrane, from the Preface The first court session in Ohio took place on September 2, 1788, in a blockhouse at Marietta, Washington County. Arthur St. Clair, the first governor of what was then the Northwest Territory, organised the Court of Common Pleas when he established the county by proclamation on July 16, 1788. Law and the courts have played a central role in Ohio ever since. With statehood in 1803 and the growth of communities, the settlers built log courthouses at first and then moved on to more sophisticated materials and architectural designs. The county courthouses literally became the central symbol of each community. This magnificent, lavishly illustrated book presents each of Ohio's 88 existing courthouses through a sumptuous layout of colour and black-and-white images. In addition, Susan Thrane provides a brief history of each county with relevant details about the design of the courthouse and highlights of the events which occurred there. Along with discussion of the earliest building, the book presents the existing buildings in chronological order from oldest to youngest. Thus, Highland County (constructed in 1832-35) comes first and Franklin County (1969-72) is last. This is a book to be treasured by all Ohioans.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Susan Thrane's interest in Ohio courthouses arises from her experiences while practicing law in the historic courthouses of southeastern and Franklin counties. She has been active in historic preservation while restoring a Frank Lloyd Wright inspired usonian country home and a Burlington, Vermont, pied-a-terre.

Tom Patterson is a photographer and graphic designer, born in Dayton, Ohio. After earning a degree in Wildlife Management from Eastern New Mexico University, he returned to the midwest and eventually to the family business, Patterson Graphics, Inc.

Bill Patterson earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Dayton Art Institute and began a career as a designer, illustrator, photographer and art director in advertising agencies and commercial studios. In 1965, he started Bill Patterson Advertising Design which evolved into Patterson Graphics, Inc. in 1980.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 260 pages
• Publisher: Indiana University Press (November 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 025333778X
• ISBN-13: 978-0253337788
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,446,154 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Just what my wife wanted!, August 20, 2010

By 

Maurice Jennings "BJs Cokestuff" (West Chester, OH U.S.A) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: County Courthouses of Ohio (Hardcover)

My wife wanted this book and she was very happy with it. She likes old courthouses.