Summit County is named for the highest elevation along the Ohio Canal called the “Portage Summit”.
Created: March 3, 1840
County Seat:
Akron 1840 – present
County Courthouse – Akron
Location: 209 South High Street / Church Street
Built: 1905 – 1908
Style: Second Renaissance Revival
Architect: John Milton Dyer of Cleveland
Contractor: George W Carmichael and Company
Description: The building faces west and is a three story buff colored Ohio sandstone structure. The west front has a small pediment above the doorway. The first story has horizontal stone work with arched windows. The second and third stories have recessed windows. A wide cornice runs along the flat roof line. The building was renovated in 1987. In 1922 an annex was built on the east side.
Note: The cost of construction of the courthouse was $337,708.93. The design included the use of two male statues and two lions at the entrance. The two seated males, one with a scroll and the other with a sheathed sword, represent law and justice. The lions are symbols of the law’s majesty. In order to position the lions without cracking the stone base blocks, large blocks of ice were placed between the lions and the stone bases. As the ice slowly melted, the lions gently came to a rest on their stone bases. The two statues of Law and Justice were carved by Herman Marzner of Cleveland.
Note: The architect John Milton Dyer of Cleveland and the contractor George W Carmichael and Company also designed and constructed the courthouse in Lake County.
County Courthouse Addition – Akron
Location: 209 South High Street / Church Street
Built: 2003 – 2005
Style: Modern
Architect: GDP Associates, Braun & Steidl Architects
Contractor: Donley’s Inc.
Description: The building faces west and is a three story white colored limestone structure. The roof line is flat. The building is connected to the courthouse on the south side.
See: For the Ninth Appellate District Court of Appeals see Ohio Court of Appeals – Akron
Courthouses:
N – Cuyahoga County
E – Portage County and Stark County
S – Stark County
W – Wayne County and Medina County
Photos taken 2010