The Cumberland County Courthouse in Toledo is a compact but handsome 1888 red-brick building designed by H.P. McDonald and Brothers of Louisville Kentucky. The style is close to Georgian Revival, featuring arched second-story windows, columned porticos and a tall white clock tower rising from the center of the hipped roof. It's the second courthouse on this site. The original was built in 1855 but burned in 1885 prompting construction of the present building.
Cumberland County was formed in 1843 and named for the Cumberland Road, the early federal highway projected to run through the region. Toledo has been the county seat since 1885 when it replaced Greenup. The town was originally called Prairie City until it was renamed in 1874.
On a Saturday afternoon with the courthouse closed, it was a pleasant walk around to appreciate how the building sits on a traffic island at Main and Meridian Streets, clearly the dominant center of town. You can see the polished tiles of the first floor through the glass doors on the side. The grounds include several monuments and memorials, including an impressive gazebo and a lovely veterans' memorial with polished black granite.
[Review 1056 of 2026 - 235 in Illinois - 26235 overall] read more