Darke

Formed March 3, 1809 (35^th county)

Darke County (51,883), Greenville (12,799)                

The classic Second Empire and Renaissance Revival courthouse was built in 1874 and sits on Broadway between 4^th and 5^th streets.  Ohio State Highway 49 is Broadway in the town.  The current tan brick building succeeds 1824 and 1834 versions in Greenville, the only county seat.  Edwin May is this masonry courthouse designer.  The building features a tower with a statue of Lady Justice.  Veteran memorials are on the grounds.  A County Administration Building sits next to the courthouse.  The county was created on March 3, 1809 from Miami County as the 35^th county.  It is named for American Revolutionary War hero William Darke.  Greenville is named for American Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene.  He is also the namesake of Greene County. 

Darke County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Two Common Pleas Court Judges serve Darke County.  The county is on the western border with Indiana.  Toledo, Ohio is northeast and Dayton, Ohio is southeast of the county.  The county center is in Greenville 1.6 miles North-Northeast of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Mercer, Shelby, Miami, Montgomery, and Preble counties and Indiana. 

The area of the county is 599.8 square miles.  It is 9 out of 88 in the state.  It ranks 49 out of 88 in population in the state.  It has a density of 86.5 persons per square mile making it 64 out of 88 in the state.  Darke County has 49.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 36 crosses the county from east to west from Miami County to Indiana.  United States Highway 127 goes north to south from Mercer County to Preble County.  The county is a rectangle.  Greenville is located slightly west of center in the county.  Greenville is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 24.7% of the county population.  This county is in the Greenville Micropolitan Statistical Area.