Stark County Courthouse

The first Stark County Courthouse on this site was a brick structure built in 1817. It was only 44 feet square and, as the city grew and prospered, it quickly became too small. In 1870, a larger courthouse was dedicated. This building was of the Italianate style and had twin towers, one at either side of its main entrance. In this building, William McKinley practiced law for the firm of Judge George W. Belden. He distinguished himself both in the practice of law and as a prosecutor because he was not only a man of intellect, he was also a gifted orator and debater, skills which allowed him to practice successfully in the field of law. McKinley was elected prosecuting attorney at the age of 25 and served from 1869 to 1871. The second floor courtroom is generally believed to be the room where he served. By 1895 the community had again outgrown the building, and county officials decided to radically remodel and expand it. This eclectic style structure has survived nearly intact to the present day. The Stark County Courthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Renovation work completed in 1995 returned the stained-glass windows to their original glory and removed exterior defacement. The clock was repaired and the angels, the trumpeters of justice, were re-gilded. Throughout the dust and noise of renovation, the Stark County Courthouse conducted business as usual as it had for over 175 years.

Canton, Ohio · United States