This is the third courthouse that has graced the county seat of Clarion. The first Clarion County Courthouse, completed in 1842 at the cost of $10,636.16, was brick, two stories, and divided by a slight offset — from which there were two narrow recesses into two longitudinal wings. In 1859 fire erupted in a faulty flue and destroyed the building. It was replaced by a substantial brick building with, unfortunately, a wooden roof approximately 65 feet high. About one o’clock on the morning of September 12, 1882, fire which had been smoldering in the loft, burst through the roof. The water pressure was not enough to force the stream to the top. The building was gutted in a few hours, leaving the walls standing comparatively intact for a new courthouse.
The current Victorian courthouse was completed shortly afterwards. It is dominated by a 25-foot square tower, 213 feet high. It rises 139 feet above the roof. The walls of the main part are 22 inches thick. This roof is of tin and slate. The clock dial, nine feet in diameter, and the bell, weighing 1,313 pounds, were furnished by the Howard Clock Company from New York. The interior of the clock loft is fitted with gas pipes for illumination. Todays’ appearance reflects a complete exterior renovation undertaken in 1981.
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