Clarion

Formed March 11, 1839 (54^th county)

Clarion County (37,236), Clarion (3,931)

The stately red brick courthouse was constructed in 1884.  It is located on Main Street at 4^th Street.  United States Highway 322 is Main Street.  E. M. Butz and D. English combined on this Queen Anne and Romanesque Revival designs.  There were 1842 and 1863 courthouses also in Clarion, the only county seat.  The county was created on March 11, 1839 from Venango and Armstrong counties as the 54^th county.  Clarion County and its county seat are named for the Clarion River. 

Clarion County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  One Common Pleas Court Judge and Four Magistrate Court Judges serve Clarion County.  The county is in western Pennsylvania.  The Allegheny River flows through the county.  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is southwest and Erie, Pennsylvania is northwest of the county.  The county center is 9.3 miles West Southwest of Clarion.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Forest, Jefferson, Armstrong, Butler, and Venango counties.  The area of the county is 609 square miles.  It is 38 out of 67 in the state.  It ranks 57 out of 67 in population in the state.  It has a density of 61.1 persons per square mile making it 52 out of 67 in the state.  Clarion County has 28.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 80 crosses the county east to west from Jefferson County to Butler County.  United States Highway 322 enters from the east, Jefferson County, and exits to the northwest, Venango County.  The county resembles a bag of marbles tied in the northeast corner.  The City of Clarion is in the eastern third of the county.  Clarion is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 10.6% of the county population.  The county and county seat are pronounced KLAER-E-ON.

Emlenton