The Butler County Courthouse anchors the downtown and makes an immediate impression. Built of Ohio sandstone between 1885 and 1889, the building is a confident example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture: rounded arches, heavy stonework, and a tower that rises over the city with a self-assurance that civic buildings rarely have anymore.
The interior is worth a look if you can get in. The staircase and courtroom spaces retain much of their original character. Outside, the courthouse grounds serve as a small public plaza — a reasonable place to sit and take in the Victorian streetscape of downtown Hamilton.