Onondaga County is named for the Onondaga Native American Tribe.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Oswego County
E – Madison County
S – Cortland County
W – Cayuga County
Created: March 5, 1794 
County Seat:
Syracuse 1794 – present
County Courthouse – Syracuse
Location: 401 Montgomery Street / East Jefferson Street
Built: 1904 – 1906
Style: Beaux Arts
Architect: Archimedes Russell of Syracuse and Melvin King ( supervisor )
Contractor: Wells Brothers & Company
Description: The building faces west and is a four story stone and concrete structure. The building is located on the landscaped grounds of the Columbus Circle in the center of Syracuse. The building is steel framed and faced with Indiana buff colored limestone. The west front has a large portico with three arched entrances on the second story with balcony above and six thin columns rising from the third story to a pediment at the top of the fourth story. There are small cupolas on either side of the pediment. On the center of the roof is a large octagonal dome with copper roof and small cupola at the top. A balustrade runs along the flat roof line. In the interior, the center has an open atrium with wide staircase ascending to the upper stories. There are marble floors, wainscot, columns and an ornate plaster ceiling in gold and blue colors. The windows and doors have leaded glass. On the third story are the ornate courtrooms with richly carved and ornamented judge’s benches. The Honorable Stewart F Hancock Ceremonial Courtroom (Room 400) is located on the fourth story. The building houses the County Supreme Court, County Family Court and County Surrogate Court of the 5th Judicial District.
Note: The interior was designed by Allewelt & Brothers. William Dodge painted four canvasses that depict historical and legendary episodes of the county area and located on the second story. Gustave Gutgemon murals on the third story stair landing symbolize law and justice. Edward H Joy Company was awarded the plumbing contract.
County Criminal Courthouse – Syracuse
Location: 505 South State Street / Jefferson Street
Built: 2001 – 2003
Style: Modern
Architect: Ashley McGraw Architects of Syracuse
Contractor: Murnane Building Contractors of Syracuse and Northland Associates, Inc. of Syracuse
Description: The building faces west and is a three story glass and concrete structure. The building is located in the center of Syracuse on the northeast side of the courthouse. The west front has glass panels with a projecting canopy. The second and third stories have a glass panel corner section. The roof line is flat. The building houses the County Court of the 5th Judicial District. The building is named as The Honorable James C Tormey III Criminal Courthouse. The Construction Manager was J D Taylor Construction Company of Syracuse.
County Justice Center – Syracuse
Location: 555 South State Street / Jefferson Street
Built: 1992 – 1995
Style: Modern
Architect: Quinlivan Pierck and Krause and STV Group
Contractor: Unknown
Description: The building faces west and is a five story glass and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Syracuse on the east side of the courthouse. The building is named as the Patrick J Corbett Justice Center. The building forms a “U” shape with recessed glass entrance at the center. The lower part is red colored brick and the upper part is buff colored brick. The roof line is flat. The building houses the detention facilities.
Fifth Judicial District Office Building – Syracuse
Location: 600 State Street / Madison Street
Built: 1956 – 1957
Style: Modern
Architect: Harry A King and F Curtis King
Contractor: Unknown
Description: The building faces east and is an eight story glass and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located in the center of Syracuse on the southeast side of the courthouse. The building is named as the Edward Kochin County Office Building. The building houses the administration of the 5th Judicial District.
See: The 5th Judicial District is located at 600 State Street in Syracuse and includes Herkimer County, Jefferson County, Lewis County, Oneida County and Oswego County.
History: The county was created in 1794 and Onondaga Hollow was selected as the county seat. The court met in the residences of Asa Danforth, Rueben Patterson, Samuel Tyler and John Adam from 1794 to 1905. In 1802 land was donated by George Hall and Thaddeus Wood in Onondaga Hill. The first courthouse was a two story structure built in 1804 to 1805 and the county seat was moved to Onondaga Hill. The building was later used as a school. In 1830, the county seat was moved to Syracuse. The second courthouse was a two story brick structure built at Ash Street and North Salina Street between the villages of Syracuse and Salina in 1830. The courthouse burned in 1856. The third courthouse was a two story Onondaga grey limestone stone structure designed by Horatio Nelson White and built in 1857 on the north side of Clinton Square. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 1904 to 1907 at a cost of $1,500,000. The County Justice Center was constructed in 1992 to 1995 and the County Criminal Courthouse was constructed in 2001 to 2003.
County Courthouse - Syracuse
County Criminal Courthouse – Syracuse
County Justice Center – Syracuse
photos taken 2010