ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND bricks, burned at the building site, were used to construct Hardin County's first courthouse at Kenton in 1834. Soon outgrown, it was replaced in 1854 by a building described as being of Grecian temple design. However, it did have a clock tower, which is something never seen on Grecian temples.

 This courthouse served the county for 60 years until replaced, in 1914, by the present building, which is of limestone construction with six Grecian columns above the front entrance. It is of an architectural style popular in the construction of federal office buildings during the first half of this century.

 When the 1854 courthouse was torn down, the old bell was sold as junk. When this became known, the Daughters of the American Revolution raised money to buy it back at a cost of $140. The 1,000-pound bell, mounted on heavy timbers, is now on display in the Relics Room maintained by the DAR on the first floor of the courthouse.

Hardin County was organized in 1833 from a part of Logan County and was named for Col. John Hardin, a Revolutionary War veteran and Indian fighter who was killed by savages in 1792. The county seat was named for Simon Kenton, legendary frontiersman and veteran of the Indian wars.

Text And Photo By Clair Stebbins