Seneca County is named for the Seneca Native American tribe.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Wayne County
E – Cayuga County and Tompkins County
S – Schuyler County
W – Yates County and Ontario County
Created: March 29, 1804 
County Seat:
Ovid 1804 – 1818
Waterloo 1818 – present
Ovid 1822 – present
County Courthouse – Waterloo
Location: 48 William Street / Park Place
Built: 1817 – 1818
Style: Georgian
Architect: John Sayre, John Lyon and Luther R La Battelle
Contractor: John Sayre, John Lyon and Luther R La Battelle
Description: The building faces south and is a two story red colored brick structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Waterloo. The center section of the south front has a high portico supported by four white colored columns rising to a pediment at the roof line. The main entrance is arched and framed with white wood. The east and west wings extend from the main building and rise to pediments. On the center of the roof is an octagonal white colored dome with gold colored roof. The building was rebuilt in 1914. The architect was William J Beardsley and the contractor was Charles K Benjamin. The building was renovated in 1994. The architect was L Robert Kimball & Associates of Syracuse and the contractor was Lehrer, McGovern Bovis Inc. of Ithaca.
County Administration – Waterloo
Location: 1 DiPronio Drive / Thurber Drive
Built: 1987 – 1989
Style: Modern
Architect: LARB Group
Contractor: Lehrer McGovern Bovis Inc. of New York
Description: The building faces west and is a three story red colored brick, glass and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds on the east side of Waterloo. The west front has a one story portico at the central entrance. The windows are horizontal with white colored bands running above. The roof line is flat. The building is named as the Seneca County Office Building.
Old County Courthouse – Ovid
Location: NE – Main Street / East Seneca Street
Built: 1844 – 1845
Style: Greek Revival
Architect: Clement Jones and Sidney Grant
Contractor: O S Latham and O B Latham
Description: The building faces west and is a two story red colored brick structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the center of Ovid. The west front has a large porch supported by four high white colored columns with pediment at the roof line. On the center of the roof is a round dome with white colored dome roof.
See: The 7th Judicial District includes Cayuga County, Livingston County, Monroe County, Ontario County, Steuben County, Wayne County and Yates County.
Old County Clerk’s Office – Ovid
Location: NE – Main Street / East Seneca Street
Built: 1844 – 1845
Style: Greek Revival
Architect: Clement Jones and Sidney Grant
Contractor: O S Latham and O B Latham
Description: The building faces west and is a two story red colored brick structure. The building has a portico on the west front with four white colored columns rising to a pediment at the roof line. The roof is hipped.
New County Clerk’s Office – Ovid
Location: NE – Main Street / East Seneca Street
Built: 1860
Style: Greek Revival
Architect: Unknown
Contractor: Unknown
Description: The building faces west and is a one story red colored brick structure. The building has a portico on the west front with four white colored columns rising to a pediment at the roof line. The roof is hipped.
History: The county was created in 1804 and Ovid was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was built in 1804. The county seat was moved to Waterloo in 1818. The second and present courthouse was built in 1817 to 1818. In 1822, Ovid become the second county seat using the first courthouse. The second courthouse was built in 1844 to 1845 and is still standing.
County Courthouse - Waterloo
Photos taken 2010 and 2014