When Trumbull County was formed in 1800 and named for the governor of Connecticut, Warren became the first county seat.  It was centrally located and boasted more than 30 residents.  The first courthouse was built in1815 and used until 1852.  The current court house has been in use since shortly after a fire destroyed the second court house in 1895.

In the early 1840s, Youngstown petitioned to divide Trumbull County, hoping to become the new county’s seat.  But when Mahoning County was formed in 1846, the county seat was awarded to Canfield.  The Canfield Court House at the south end of the village green is still used today as a municipal building.

In the 1870s, Youngstown’s population was 4 times as big as Canfield’s.  It was located on rail lines and had coal mines and a growing iron industry.  An act of the Ohio General Assembly approved the removal of the county seat to Youngstown in 1874, although Canfield fought that decision until 1879.  The people of Youngstown were required to donate the land, the building, the jail, and other offices for county government.  People pledged to give amounts from $2 to $2,500.  The first court house building in Youngstown was built by P. Ross Berry in 1876 and stood at the corner of Wick Avenue and Wood Street.

What is most important in deciding where the seat of county government should be?  What do we need a county court house for?   What arguments would you use to convince people to give money to build a new county seat?  For a better look at these primary documents, go to www.mahoninghistory.org.  Under Education, click on ‘What Do You Know’ for a list of articles.  Then click on the embedded images in an article for a downloadable file.