Trumbull County Courthouse

On July 10, 1800, Governor Arthur St. Clair of the Western Reserve chose Warren as the county seat of Trumbull County and the first court was held on August 25, 1800. At the time, the region of Trumbull County extended into present-day Portage County and Mahoning County. In 1804, disputes arose over moving the county seat to Youngstown. However, the proposed change was unsuccessful, and Warren remains the county seat of Trumbull County.

The first formal Trumbull County Courthouse was built in 1815. By 1836, the courthouse needed extensive repairs and the building was too small to accommodate the growing county. As a result, Richards and Logan from Poland, Ohio were contracted to replace the original courthouse with a new, larger structure at the same site. The second Trumbull County Courthouse was completed in 1854.

On March 25, 1895, the second courthouse was destroyed by fire, and the courthouse needed to be rebuilt. The architects selected for the project were from Labelle and French of Marion, Indiana and E.M. Campfield from Findley, Ohio was contracted to build a new edifice. The design of the third Trumbull County Courthouse features elements of Richardson Romanesque architectural style with cylindrical turrets, Romanesque arches framing the recessed front entrance, and rough finishes on the sandstone blocks. The courthouse was nicknamed the “Stone Quarry” and the “Rock Palace” due to its sandstone exterior. A copper state of Lady Justice stands on each of the courthouse’s four gables. The courthouse was completed in 1897, and the project cost approximately $140,000. With the largest common pleas courtroom in Ohio, several additional courtrooms, and plenty of room for various offices, the Trumbull County Courthouse provided extensive space in anticipation for the growth in Trumbull County. 

During the 20th century, additional space in the Trumbull County Courthouse was used to serve community needs. The Assembly Room housed the Warren Public Library until 1906. In 1905, the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NASWA) moved its temporary headquarters from Harriet Taylor Upton’s home to the Trumbull County Courthouse’s west wing. Due to the dwindling number of active members, Harriet Taylor Upton, who was Treasurer of NAWSA, encouraged the organization to relocate its headquarters temporarily from Washington, D.C. to Warren. While in Warren, NAWSA reorganized its strategy to recruit new members across the United States. Led by Susan B. Anthony, NAWSA organized state and local groups to support women’s right to vote in the United States. In 1909, the NAWSA headquarters relocated from Warren to New York City.

On December 31, 1974, the Trumbull County Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. On July 4, 1976, the building was restored as a bicentennial gift from Commissioner Lyle Williams. The courthouse is still in use today and continues to serve as an important part of Trumbull County history.

Edward, Kutevac. "Trumbull County Courthouse." National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form. December 31, 1974.

Ohio County Courthouses: Seats of Justice - Trumbull County. Fife, Anne. The Ohio Channel, 2018.

"Trumbull County Courthouse." The Supreme Court of Ohio & The Ohio Judicial System. Accessed July 8th 2020. https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/Courthouses/trumbull.asp.

"Trumbull County Court House." Trumbull County Ohio. Accessed July 8th 2020. http://www.co.trumbull.oh.us/tc_courthouse.html.

"Trumbull County Courthouse." Trumbull Memory Project. Accessed July 8th 2020. https://www.trumbullmemory.org/items/show/1687.