Ford County is named for Thomas Ford, who was the eight Governor of Illinois and who served during the Illinois Mormon War.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Livingston County and Kankakee County
E – Iroquois County and Vermillion County
S – Champaign County
W – McLean County and Livingston County
Created: February 17, 1859 
County Seat:
Paxton 1859 – present
County Courthouse – Paxton
Location: 200 West State Street / North Taft Street
Built: 1905 – 1906
Style: Second Empire
Architect: Joseph W Royer of Urbana
Contractor: Jahr & Cope
Description: The building faces south and is a two story brown colored brick, stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Paxton. The building has stone trim at the corners and around the windows. On the center of the roof is a round black colored dome. In the interior, the building contains many murals painted during the 1930’s under the Works Progress Administration. The courtroom is located on the second story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 11th Judicial Circuit. On the west side is the Old Sheriff Residence and Jail.
See: The architect Joseph W Royer of Urbana, Illinois designed courthouses in Illinois in Bureau County, Champaign County, Clay County, Douglas County, Grundy County, Marion County, Piatt County and Richland County; in iowa in Linn County; and in Wisconsin in Douglas County.
See: The 11th Judicial District includes Livingston County, Logan County, McLean County and Woodford County.
History: The county was created in 1859 and Paxton was selected as the county seat. The county met in churches until the first courthouse was a two story brick structure built by James F Hall in 1861 to 1862 at a cost of $16,000. The courthouse was enlarged in 1876 by William Daniels. The second and present courthouse was constructed in 1905 to 1906.
County Courthouse – Paxton
Old Sheriff Residence and Jail – Paxton
Paxton Water Tower and Oumphouse – Paxton
Photos taken 2010