Hardin

Formed April 1, 1820 (60^th county)

Hardin County (30,691), Kenton (7,949)

The masonry Neo-Classical building was erected in 1915 and is on Main, Columbus, Detroit, and Frankson streets.  United States Highway 68 is Detroit Street.  An 1854 courthouse preceded the current one in Kenton, the only county seat.  Richards, McCarty, and Bulford are the building architects.  The building features columns.  Inside are marble stairs, a Liberty Bell, and veteran memorials.  Hardin County was created on April 1, 1820 from Logan County as the 60^th county.  It is named for American Revolutionary hero John Hardin.  The county seat is named for American frontiersman Simon Kenton. 

Hardin County government consists of an auditor, a sheriff, an attorney, and a coroner (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Two Common Pleas Court Judges and a court clerk serve Hardin County (judicial.)  The county is in northwest Ohio.  Toledo, Ohio is north and Columbus, Ohio is southeast of the county.  The county center is 6 miles Northwest of Kenton nearer Blanchard.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Hancock, Wyandot, Marion, Union, Logan, Auglaize, and Allen counties. 

The area of the county is 470.3 square miles.  It is 32 out of 88 in the state.  It ranks 72 out of 88 in population in the state.  It has a density of 65.3 persons per square mile making it 76 out of 88 in the state.  Hardin County has 57.5% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 68 goes north to south from Hancock County to Logan County.  The county is a rectangle with the northeast corner cut away.  Kenton is located slightly south of center in the county.  Kenton is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 25.9% of the county population.