Niagara County is named for the Iroquoian word meaning “a neck” between two bodies of water or “thunder of waters”, or “bisected bottom land”.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Lake Ontario and Ontario, Canada
E – Orleans County and Genesee County
S – Erie County
W – Ontario, Canada
Created: March 11, 1808 
County Seat:
Buffalo 1808 – 1822
Lockport 1822 – present
County Courthouse – Lockport
Location: 175 Hawley Street / Niagara Street
Built: 1885 – 1886
Style: Second Empire
Architect: M E Beebe and Sons of Buffalo
Contractor: William J Blackley of Lockport
Description: The building faces east and is a two story brown colored course stone structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Lockport. The east front has a large stone portico with three arched entrances on the first story. Six columns rise from the second story to the top of the second story with a pediment at the roof line. The roof is mansard with a large round white dome on the center of the roof. In the interior is the County Family Court courtroom. The building houses the County Family Court of the 8th Judicial District. An addition was constructed from 1914 to 1917. The architect was Chester R Phelps of Niagara Falls and the contractor was Johnmoon. An addition was constructed on the north side from 1957 to 1958. The architect was Cannon, Thiele, Betz & Cannon and the contractor was Albert Elia Building Company Inc.
See: The 8th Judicial District is located at 92 Franklin Street in Buffalo and includes Alleghany County, Cattaraugus County, Chautauqua County, Erie County, Genesee County, Orleans County and Wyoming County.
History: The county was created in 1808 and Buffalo was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was a two story structure built by the Holland Company in 1806 as the Niagara County Courthouse and burned in 1813. The second courthouse was a two story brick structure designed by Joseph Ellicott in 1816 to 1817. Construction was supervised by Samuel Tupper, Joseph Landon and Jonas Williams. In 1821, Erie County was created with Buffalo as the county seat and Lockport was selected as the county seat for the remaining part of Niagara County. The third courthouse was built on the Public Square in 1823 on land donated by Colonel William M Bond. In 1874 as the courthouse was in poor shape, the Hodge Opera House was used. The fifth and present courthouse was constructed in 1885 to 1886 at a cost pf 68,000. The cost of construction of the wing in 1957 was $699,447.
County Clerk’s Office – Lockport
Location: 139 Niagara Street / Hawley Street
Built: 1856 – 1857
Style: Classical Revival
Architect: Unknown
Contractor: Unknown
Description: The building faces south and is a one story gray colored limestone structure. The building was enlarged in 1917. The architect was Chester R Phelps of Niagara Falls.
County Administration Building – Lockport
Location: 59 Park Avenue / Hawley Street
Built: 1972 – 1973
Style: Modern
Architect: William W Whitmore
Contractor: Vintuoso Building Company Inc.
Description: The building faces south and is a two story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The rectangular building is named as the the Niagara County Office Building.
County Courthouse – Lockport
County Clerk’s Office – Lockport
County Administration Building – Lockport
Photos taken 2010