The current courthouse is the fifth courthouse to serve Harrison County. The earliest was erected soon after the county’s formation in 1784. It was replaced several times in the nineteenth century, including a prominent 1880s brick courthouse with a tall clock tower designed by George W. Bunting.[2] That building was demolished in the early 1930s to make way for the present structure.
Planning and construction
By the 1920s, county officials sought a new building to accommodate growing administrative and judicial needs. After multiple failed bond attempts, the county funded the project through a special levy.[2] The county held a closed architectural competition in 1930 for a modern $750,000 courthouse. Several nationally recognized firms were invited to participate.
The winning design was submitted by **Walker & Weeks** of Cleveland, with **Edward J. Wood and Son** of Clarksburg serving as associate architects.[2] Construction began in 1931 and was completed in 1932.
Architecture
The courthouse is a six story Streamlined Moderne building clad in buff limestone with black granite trim. Its design emphasizes vertical lines, simplified massing, and minimal ornament typical of the Moderne style.[2]
The central block is flanked by recessed five story wings. The Main Street entrance features metal eagles by sculptor Henry Hering, whose angular wings draw the eye upward across the facade.[2] Above the upper windows are three roundels, with the center containing a clock and the flanking medallions depicting scales of justice.
Interior
Contemporary reports praised the interior for its extensive use of marble and fine woodwork. The courthouse features black, white, and green marbles, as well as decorative walnut, mahogany, and ebony trim in courtrooms and corridors.[2]
Monuments and grounds
The courthouse grounds include several notable monuments:
the **flagstaff from the USS West Virginia**, salvaged after the ship was sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbor;[3]
a statue of **Stonewall Jackson**, whose childhood home was in Clarksburg;[4]
an **immigrant memorial** honoring the city’s diverse ethnic communities.
Later renovations
A major courthouse annex project began in the early 2020s, providing expanded office space for county agencies.[5] Window replacement and energy efficiency upgrades have also been undertaken in recent years.
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