Seneca County is named for the Seneca Native American tribe.
Created: April 1, 1820
County Seat:
Tiffin 1820 – present
County Courthouse – Tiffin
Location: 117 East Market Street / Jefferson Street
Built: 2000 – 2002
Style: Modern
Architect: Charles M Effinger
Contractor: Studer-Obringer Construction
Description: The building faces south and is a three story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped grounds in the city center. The entrance is located on the west side with a one story section. The windows are arched. On the roof is a raised center section. The roof line is flat. On the west side are landscaped grounds where the old courthouse stood until 2012.
Former County Courthouse – Tiffin
Location: 103 South Washington Street / East Market Street
Built: 1884 – 1886
Style: Neo-Classical
Architect: Elijah E Myers of Philadelphia
Contractor: R C Greenlee
Description: The building faced west and was a three story limestone structure. The west front had a large arch with recessed entrance and small balcony above the door. On the center of the roof was a limestone tower. The roof line was flat. The building was remodeled in 1944 and was torn down in 2012. It has been located on the south side of the present courthouse.
Note: The first courthouse was built in 1822. The next courthouse was built by John Baugher in 1836 and the building was destroyed by fire in 1841. John Baugher then built the next courthouse in 1843 which was torn down when the 1884 courthouse was constructed.
See: The architect, Elijah E Myers of Philadelphia, also designed courthouses in Illinois in Knox County and McDonough County, in Indiana in Grant County. and in Ohio in Lorain County.
Courthouses:
N – Sandusky County
E – Huron County
S – Crawford County and Wyandot County
W – Hancock County and Wood County
After old courthouse was removed
Photos taken 2011 and 2015