BROWN COUNTY COURTHOUSE
On August 1, 1823, the Brown County Commissioners, Clark, Wall and Breckenridge entered into a contract with Thomas Hamer, William White, Michael Weaver, William Butt and Daniel Johnson for the erection of a courthouse at Georgetown for the sum of $3,999.99.
The lots, donated by H. Newkirk, J. Woods and Abel Reese to Brown County in return for locating the county seat in Georgetown, were sold and the proceeds were used by the Commissioners to pay for the courthouse. This was a frame, two-story building and was of the Federal Style of architecture. It was a cubical form with a hip roof and a cupola; a very popular style of courthouse at that time. It was accepted by the Commissioners in 1824 and lasted for twenty-five years.
On March 7, 1849, the Courthouse was declared untenable and the Commissioners of Brown County advertised for the construction of a new one. On May 2,1849, work began on the construction of the present Courthouse building without the wings.
The architect-builder was Hubbard Baker who designed a classical example of Greek Revival. The pilasters carry a fine Doric entablature. The ridge of the roof is carried forward to form the apex of the pediment, which with the remainder of the entablature is carried on two Doric columns in a recessed portico with a wrought iron balcony above the entrance. Typical Greek moldings are used around the windows and the doors. The cupola was a one-story square enclosure with four louvers separated by small pilasters supporting a small Doric entablature, surmounted by the town clock and this was topped by a dome.
John Cleaver did the stone work, Jackson Devore and Basil Waters did the brick work. Charles Crouch and Emit Baker did the carpentry work. Robert Moore and C. W. Reed did the excavation. Jackson Egbert furnished the stone for the foundation wall and also for the Courthouse yard. The Courthouse was completed in 1851.
On December 3, 1888, there was a fire in the Courthouse which was principally confined to the basement and a portion of the first floor. John G. Marshall made the repairs. Court was held in the Methodist Church during this period of repair.
In 1910, the two wings were added to the Courthouse and at that time steam heat was installed. This building housed the Common Pleas and Probate Courts and all the county administrative offices.
In 1977 the Courthouse was struck by arson burning much of the interior, roof, stairway and cupola. The Brown County Courthouse Reconstruction Association spearheaded a drive to restore the building and with money from insurance, private donations, Ohio Historical Society Funds, the Ohio State Capitol Improvements Funds and various grants, the Brown County Courthouse was completely restored in 1986.
The Courthouse currently houses the Common Pleas Court Criminal, Civil and Domestic Relations Divisions, the Common Pleas Probation Department, and the Clerk of Courts Civil and Criminal Divisions.