First off, I have a service dog named Barney, that goes with me EVERYWHERE with me. Today I had…read moregone to Ripley to check on and pay my taxes. One staff member said just had to go to the sheriff's office to pay. Being a hot day, As Barney my service dog and I started to leave, another staff person said in a rude snotty tone "Don't bring THAT dog in here again." The county assessor has lost my vote and so far 16 other people I know. They couldn't believe how rude a staff member can be to someone so full of love.

Gallia County was created in 1803 shortly after Ohio became the 17th US state. Gallipolis was…read moreselected as the county seat. This building is the fifth to serve as the county courthouse as earlier ones were destroyed by arson or were simply too small as the county grew. The first settlers were known as the French 500, arriving in 1790. They established Gallipolis, which translates as "City of the Gauls." After the French, waves of Virginians, New Englanders, Welsh, and Germans settled in the area. In 1818, a group from Wales arrived, and Welsh remained the county's second language until the 1970s. The county also became a haven for free African Americans and escaped slaves during the antebellum period. This building was completed in 1984. It faces south and is a three-story red colored brick and concrete structure with a modern design. The south front has three large arches on the first story with recessed entrance. The center section projects from the main building. On the east side is higher section. The roof is hipped. As you walk the grounds, look for the high water mark from the Flood of 1884 when much of the city was submerged. [Review 598 of 2025 - 298 in Ohio - 24159 overall]

The rectangular shaped building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Point Pleasant…read more The center section is recessed with a recessed entrance on the first story and with clock and vertical windows above. The east and west sections project from the main building and have vertical panels. The roof line is flat. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 5th Judicial Circuit, County Magistrate Court and County Family Court. Mason County is named for George Mason, who was a delegate to the United States Constitutional Convention. The county was created in 1804 and Point Pleasant was selected as the county seat. This building is the third courthouse for the county and was completed in 1957. It was undergoing some construction when I visited so there wasn't much to see. I did find plentiful street parking on a weekend. [Review 591 of 2025 - 174 in West Virginia - 24152 overall]

The courthouse is a two-story sandstone construction that faces north. It was constructed in 1892…read moreand is a striking example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture, distinguished by its dramatic massing and rough stones. It is located across from Charleston City Hall and occupies the entire city block. The building has a regal appearance thanks to its twin towers with pyramidal roofs, arched belfry openings, and limestone colonnettes. Kanawha County was founded in 1789 with parts of Greenbrier and Montgomery Counties under the authorization of the Virginia General Assembly. It was named for the Kanawha River, itself derived from a Native American word believed to mean either "waterway" or "place of white stones." During the Civil War, Kanawha County was a strategic site, contributing troops to both Union and Confederate forces. Its divided loyalties reflected the broader tensions that led to the creation of West Virginia in 1863. Kanawha is West Virginia's most populous county. There is street parking all around. Some of it metered. I managed to find a legal space so that I could explore the courthouse and photograph. It's an impressive building! [Review 565 of 2025 - 150 in West Virginia - 24126 overall]

This is the Robert Carlyle Byrd United States Courthouse and it serves as the headquarters for the…read moreUnited States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. Byrd (1917-2010) was a towering figure in American politics, serving as U.S. Senator from West Virginia for over 51 years. This remains the longest tenure in Senate history, exceeding the second-longest (Daniel Inouye from HI) by a 18 months. Born in North Carolina and raised in the coalfields of West Virginia, Byrd began his political career in the state legislature before moving to Congress in 1953. A Democrat, he held numerous leadership roles including Senate Majority Leader and President pro tempore, and was renowned for his mastery of Senate procedure and his passionate speeches. He directed billions in federal funding to West Virginia, leaving a legacy of infrastructure, education, and public service projects that bear his name. This courthouse was completed in the late 1990s and stands seven stories tall consuming over 450,000 square feet. It is the second-largest building in the entire state, behind the State Capitol. The structure occupies an entire city block and was designed to be both imposing and welcoming, with a four-story portico, stained-glass windows, and Art Deco-inspired detailing that crown its exterior. It, and the federal courthouse in Beckley WV, are named for the Senator. Inside, the courthouse features a sky-lit rotunda, cherry veneer paneling, and secure corridors that reflect updated federal design standards. It was the first courthouse built under the revised U.S. Courts Design Guide (1991), which emphasized separate circulation paths for judges, prisoners, and the public. I was able to find a nearby parking space and walk the grounds. It's a darned impressive building. You can't miss it. [Review 564 of 2025 - 149 in West Virginia - 24125 overall]

Cabell County was formed in 1809 from part of Kanawha County. It is named for William H Cabell,…read morethen Governor of Virginia. As it is on the Ohio River and bordering that free state, it was deeply divided here during the Civil War. The Battle of Barboursville (1861) and the burning of Guyandotte marked significant local engagements. Marshall Academy was founded in 1837 and evolved into Marshall University by 1961. The courthouse was completed in 1901 following Huntington's designation as the county seat in 1887, replacing Barboursville. It is built from Berea sandstone from Ohio, featuring rusticated stonework and a dramatic domed clock tower. It is in the Beaux-Arts style with five domes that are all gilded. Walking the courthouse grounds on a sunny Sunday morning, I spotted several monuments, including tributes to Revolutionary War veterans, the War of 1812, and the Constitution. There was plenty of parking on the weekend. The two-story building is made of stone and sandstone and faces north. The structure features a projecting entryway in the south center and lofty arched windows on the second story. Above the east and west wings are two broad cooper domes. A tall, aged clock tower with a gold dome stands in the middle. The 6th Judicial Circuit's County Circuit Court, County Magistrate Court, and County Family Court all operate here. [Review 607 of 2025 - 182 in West Virginia - 24168 overall]

Boyd County was formed in 1860 from portions of Carter, Greenup, and Lawrence Counties. It was…read morenamed for Linn Boyd who was a prominent 19th-century Kentucky politician who served as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1851 to 1855. He played a key role in passing the Compromise of 1850, helping to ease sectional tensions in the lead-up to the Civil War. Boyd was later elected Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky in 1859 but died just months into his term. The building faces east and is a three story Indiana limestone and concrete structure in a Beaux-Arts style. The east front has a large porch supported by four large columns rising to a header at the roof line. It was designed by architect Frank Pierce Milburn who designed more than 250 major buildings across the Southeast including the South Carolina State House and Southern Railway stations in Durham, Salisbury and Savannah and the Columbia County Courthouse in Lake City, Florida. He was notably responsible for the Mecklenburg County Courthouse in my home city of Charlotte North Carolina though the building no longer exists. Notably, the Boyd County Courthouse was the first courthouse in Kentucky with air conditioning. [Review 610 of 2025 - 304 in Kentucky - 24171 overall]

The Robert C. Byrd Bridge joins the communities of Huntington, West Virginia with Chesapeake, Ohio…read more In 1994, this continuous truss bridge replaced the 6th Street Bridge that had opened in 1926. It is named for the Senator who secured federal funding (and also has the Locks and Dam and two Courthouses in West Virginia named for him, among other things). It carries West Virginia Route 527 over the Ohio River with a main span of 720 feet. It has 55 feet of clearance below to the river. Two lanes in each direction with a center barrier. There is no toll to cross the bridge. [Review 608 of 2025 - 184 in West Virginia - 24169 overall]