Clarion County is named for the Clarion River which flows through the county.
Created: March 11, 1839
County Seat:
Clarion 1839 – present
County Courthouse – Clarion
Location: 421 Main Street / North 5th Street
Built: 1883 – 1885
Style: Queen Anne and Romanesque Revival
Architect: E M Butz of Allegheny and D English of Brookville
Contractor: P H Melvin.
Description: The building faces south and is a three story red colored brick and stone structure. The south front has a projecting five story square red colored brick clock tower rising 200 feet with small balconies below the clocks and a steep roof with Lady Justice at the top. The first story entrance is framed with stone and above are narrow vertical windows on the second and third stories. The roof is hipped with dormer windows. To the northwest is the old jail built in 1872 to 1874.
Note: The first courthouse was built by Derby & Clover, Edward Derby of Ridgway, and Levi G Clover of Clarion in 1842 at a cost of $10,636.16. The second courthouse was designed by John R. Turner of Carlisle and was built by Daniel & Edmond English of Brookville in 1863 at a cost of $15,720. The building was damaged by fire in 1882. The cost of construction of the present courthouse was $126,936.
Courthouses:
N – Venango County and Forest County
E – Jefferson County
S – Armstrong County
W – Armstrong County, Butler County and Venango County
Photos taken 2011