Essex County is named for Essex County in England.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Rockingham County, New Hampshire
E – Atlantic Ocean
S – Atlantic Ocean and Suffolk County
W – Middlesex County and Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
Created: May 10, 1643 
County Seat:
Salem 1643 – present
County Courthouse – Salem
Location: 34 Federal Street / Washington Street
Built: 2007 – 2011
Style: Modern
Architect: Joan E Goody of Goody Clancy Associates
Contractor: Daniel O’Connell’s Sons
Description: The building faces south and is a five story structure. The building is located at the west end of the courthouse complex. The south front has seven tall columns rising to an overhanging roof. The recessed entrance has glass panels. The windows along the south and west sides are vertical. On the north side is the five story glass walled section. The roof line is flat. The building is named as the J Michael Ruane Judicial Center. On the southwest sides is the old red colored brick Baptist Church built in 1806 which has been incorporated into the new building on the north side.
Note: The cost of construction was $116,000,000.
Old County Courthouse – Salem
Location: 34 Federal Street / Washington Street
Built: 1861 – 1862
Style: Italianate and Richardsonian Romanesque
Architect: Enoth Fuller
Contractor: Simeon Flint & Abrahan Towk
Description: The building faces south and is a three story red colored brick structure. The south front has a projecting center section with large arch and recessed entrance on the first story. The second story has four narrow vertical windows and the third story has a double window with peaked roof above. The windows are arched. At the northeast corner is a high square red colored brick tower with steep roof. The roof is hipped. The building was further renovated in 1889. The architect was Homan K Wheeler & W W Northend.
Old County Courthouse – Salem
Location: 32 Federal Street / Washington Street
Built: 1840 – 1841
Style: Greek Revival
Architect: Richard Bond
Contractor: Unknown
Desscription: The building faces south and is a two story gray colored granite structure. The building is the first building in the courthouse complex. The south front has a recessed porch and entrance with two large columns rising to a header. A wide pediment is located at the roof line. The building is connected to the 1861 courthouse on the west side. The architect wasand the contractor was *. The building was remodeled in 1861. The architect was Enoch Fuller and the contractor was Simeon Flint & Abraham Towle. An addition was added in 1889. The architect was Horce K Wheeler & W W Northend.
Note: The first courthouse was built in 1785.
Old County Registry of Deeds – Salem
Location: 32 Federal Street / Washington Street
Built: 1907 – 1909
Style: Neo-Classical
Architect: Clarence Blackall
Contractor: Unknown
Desscription: The building faces south and is a two story gray colored granite structure. The central section of the south front projects from the main building and has a large portico with six columns rising to a pediment at the roof line. The front of the building has vertical pilasters between the windows. The roof line is flat. The architect was and the contractor was *. On the north side is a five story concrete and glass addition. The architect was Phineas Alpers Inc.
Other Branch Courthouses
Gloucester / Haverhill / Lawrence / Lynn / Newburyport / Peabody
County Courthouse – Salem
Photos taken 2014