Ohio County is named for the Ohio River which flows along the eastern edge of the county, and which river was named for the Iroquois word meaning “beautiful river”.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Dearborn County
E – Boone County, Kentucky
W – Switzerland County and Ripley County
Created: January 4, 1844 
County Seat:
Rising Sun 1844 – present
County Courthouse – Rising Sun
Location: 413 Main Street / South Mulberry Street
Built: 1844 – 1845
Style: Greek Revival
Architect: Colonel Abel C Pepper and local trades
Contractor: Colonel Abel C Pepper and local trades
Description: The building faces north and is a two story red colored brick and white wood structure. The building is located on the landscaped grounds of the Courthouse Square in the center of Rising Sun. The north front has a large portico supported by four large white colored columns which support a wide pediment at the roof line. A balcony is along the second story of the portico with stairs along the center which become dual stairs at the mid landing. The roof is hipped. In the interior, the courtroom is located on north side of the second story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 22nd Judicial District. Along the south side is the new two story red colored brick and concrete County Annex built in 2002. The roof line is flat. The architect was Preservation Architecture Services Team and the contractor was Pool Group Inc.
Note: The Commissioner Minutes from 1844 are missing and it is presumed that the minutes were lost when the Recorder’s Office was destroyed by fire in 1885. The building was constructed by local labor under the supervision of Colonel Abel C Pepper who donated the land.
See: The courthouse is the oldest courthouse in Indiana with the second oldest courthouse located in Fayette County ( 1849 ) and the third oldest located in Orange County ( 1850 ).
See: The 22nd Judicial District includes Dearborn County, Jefferson County, Ripley County and Switzerland County.
History: The county was created in 1844 and Rising Sun was selected as the county seat. The first and present courthouses was constructed in i844 to 1845. The County Annex was constructed in 2002.
County Courthouse – Rising Sun
County Courthouse Addition – Rising Sun
Photos taken 2008 and 2012