Henry

Formed April 1, 1820 (61^st county)

Henry County (27,662), Napoleon (8,862)                

The outstanding red brick and stone courthouse was constructed in 1882.  It sits at the corner of Perry Street and Washington Street.  Ohio State Highway 108 is Perry Street in the town.  David W. Gibbs is the architect of this Second Empire building.  The courthouse was restored in 1954, 1972, and 1998.  The structure features a tower with a working clock and a Liberty Bell is on the grounds.  The county was formed on April 1, 1820 from Shelby County as the 61^st county with Napoleon as the only county seat.  It is named for American statesman Patrick Henry.  Napoleon is named for French General Napoleon Bonaparte. 

Henry County government consists of an auditor, a sheriff, an attorney, and a coroner (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Three Common Pleas Court Judges and a court clerk serve Henry County (judicial.)  The county is located in northwest Ohio.  Toledo, Ohio is east and Columbus, Ohio is southeast of the county.  The county center is 6.6 miles East-Southeast of Napoleon nearer Grelton.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Fulton, Lucas, Wood, Hancock, Putnam, Defiance, and Williams counties. 

The area of the county is 416.5 square miles.  It is 57 out of 88 in the state.  It ranks 77 out of 88 in population in the state.  It has a density of 66.4 persons per square mile making it 74 out of 88 in the state.  Henry County has 52.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 6 goes east to west in the county from Wood County to Williams County.  United States Highway 24 from Lucas County, northeast, to Defiance County, southwest.  The county resembles a fat number 7.  Napoleon is located in the northern quarter of the county.  Napoleon is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 32.0% of the county population.