The Original Upshur County Courthouse

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Located on the corner of Locust and Main Streets facing the Staunton Parkersburg Turnpike, Upshur County's first courthouse was completed in 1854. The price of the lot was $750 and the building cost $7,300. Robert Maxwell was the architect. The structure was damaged three times in the first six months by fire and saw heavy abuse during the Civil War.

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It was demolished in 1898 and replaced with our current Courthouse. The first image is considered the official portrait of the building taken just before its deconstruction. The second photograph taken from the early 1890s is the only other know image of the structure.

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This building housed the opera hall and/or town hall, the only meeting place in town. Electricity was installed in 1891 to replace oil lamps. The small building to the left housed the sheriff's office.