Ballard County is named for Bland Ballard, who was a soldier in the Battle of Fallen Timbers and Battle of River Raisin, and who lived from 1761 to 1853.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Pulaski County, Illinois
E – McCracken County
S – Carlisle County
W – Mississippi County, Missouri, Alexander County, Illinois and Pulaski County, Illinois
Created: February 15, 1842 
County Seat:
Blandville 1842 – 1882
Wickliffe 1882 – present
County Courthouse – Wickliffe
Location: 132 North 4th Street / Court Street
Built: 1903 – 1905
Style: Colonial and Beaux Arts
Architect: Jerome Bibb Legg of St. Louis, Missouri
Contractor: Samuel H Jenkins
Description: The building faces west and is a two story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Wickliffe. The west front has a portico supported by four white colored columns with a balcony at the second story. At the roof is the pediment unsupported. The building has a stone base. The corners of the building have stone trim. On the roof center is a large white colored octagonal cupola with clock. All the interior woodwork is original in natural finished oak. The open stair has a bannistered rail and a paneled newel post. Wainscoting is found throughout the interior. The courtrooms are located on the second story and most of the original courtroom furniture remains, with pew like spectators benches, oak railing and a judge’s bench. The building houses the County Circuit Court and County District Court of the 1st Judicial District. The building was renovated from 1994 to 1996. The architect was CMW Inc. of Lexington.
See: The architect, Jerome Bibb Legg of St. Louis, Missouri, also designed the courthouse in Gasconade County, Shelby County, St. Charles County and Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri.
See: The present courthouse is modeled after the courthouse in Mississippi County, Missouri, which was also designed by Jerome Bibb Legg and which was destroyed by fire in 1997.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Ballard County Courthouse
See: The 1st Judicial Circuit includes Ballard County, Carlisle County, Fulton County and Hickman County,
History: The county was created in 1842 and Blandville was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was built in 1844 at a cost of $6,000. The courthouse was destroyed by fire on February 17, 1880. When the county seat was moved to Wickliffe in 1882, the City Hall housed the court as the second courthouse until the third and present courthouse was completed in 1905 at a cost of $25,000.
County Courthouse – Wickliffe
Photos taken 2007, 2012 and 2018