The last stop on this round of the Seats of Justice courthouse tour takes viewers to St. Clairsville.

The Belmont County Courthouse was once the center of a long dispute over the location of the county’s seat.

As modes of transportation evolved, competing cities along river, road, and railroad routes argued their contention.

In 1803, the people of Newellstown invited the governor of the Northwest Territory, Arthur St. Clair, to visit their town.

The town was renamed to St. Clairsville and became the county seat and home of a brand new courthouse located along the historic national road.

It’s not unusual for those entering the building today to be greeted by the county’s emotional support dog, Jersey, who is available to victims during trials.

The courthouse features beautiful architecture and ornate details. Inside the large courtroom, visitors can appreciate the original bench. From the outside, the building’s tall clocktower can be seen from all across the city and even in neighboring counties.

Catch up on past episodes to explore more of Ohio’s diverse county courthouse landscape.