Erected in 1790, the Old Log Court House is the oldest surviving structure in Cynthiana (Harrison County) and served as the first courthouse for Harrison County at a time when Kentucky had just recently become a state. It functioned as the county’s judicial center until 1853, when a more formal Greek Revival courthouse was built nearby.
This humble structure was more than a legal building: in 1806, a young Henry Clay—who would go on to become one of America’s most influential statesmen—practiced law here. Three decades later, in 1817, Cynthiana’s first newspaper, the Guardian of Liberty, was printed in the building by Adam Keenan, with assistance from H. H. Kavanaugh (later a bishop) and Dudley Mann (later a diplomat to France). That same building also hosted the printing of Guthrie’s Arithmetic, believed to be the first arithmetic textbook published west of the Alleghenies.
The building served multiple crucial civic roles—as courthouse, law office, and press—and stood at the very center of community life in the fledgling county.
Construction and Architectural Fabric
Materials & Craftsmanship
The building’s construction reflects a simplistic frontier aesthetic: massive hand-hewn logs, interlocked at the corners with traditional dovetail or saddle notching, and chinked with mortar or mud to seal gaps. Exterior logs are painted white to highlight joints, with the chinking lines forming a distinct visual rhythm against darker-stained wood surfaces, as visible in the current photographs.
A frame second floor appears to have been added later, over the original log structure. The resulting form—a two-story hybrid of log and light-frame construction—is rare, especially in public buildings of the time, offering a window into evolving local building practices.
Layout and Design
Externally, the form is rectangular and symmetrical, with a modest gable roof pitched at a practical angle and likely originally covered with wooden shingles. The later addition of a small dormer or balcony over the front entry emphasizes the mixing of original and modified design features seen in the early 19th century.
Inside, the ground floor would have contained a single large courtroom space, though no original interior finishes survive. The upper floor may have served as private law offices or storage. Its design was strictly functional—no decorative detail or ornamentation, just a robust working building.
Historical Significance & Event Associations
Henry Clay’s Legal Beginnings
Henry Clay, then a young lawyer in 1806, argued cases in this very room. The setting demonstrates how the law was practiced in frontier Kentucky—without the trappings of grand brick courthouses, but with a gritty, improvisational spirit rooted in community.
First Press in Town
The Guardian of Liberty, launched in 1817, was printed here. That milestone also linked local journalism to the building. First newspapers in small towns often began in modest buildings like this, and the presence of printing presses here added layers of mechanical, intellectual, and social history.
Educational Publishing
The printing of Guthrie’s Arithmetic—one of the earliest textbooks in the region—represents pioneering educational efforts west of the Allegheny Mountains, adding further national significance to the site.
Preservation and Context Today
After 1851, with the new Greek Revival courthouse built on Main Street, the log courthouse ceased functioning in formal civic roles. Over subsequent decades, it endured as a relic of the town’s origins. It was later identified as a contributing property to the Cynthiana Commercial District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
Today, the building sits just adjacent to both the Greek Revival court building (built in 1851) and the newer Justice Center (built in 2002), creating a rare architectural timeline within a few feet: from frontier log to classical courthouse to modern civic facility.
A historical marker placed at 10 Court Street succinctly describes its legacy: “Oldest house in Cynthiana, built 1790. Young Henry Clay practiced law here, 1806. In 1817 the city’s first newspaper… was printed… GUTHRIE’S ARITHMETIC… was also printed here.” These facts are echoed by the Kentucky Historical Society marker (#1539).
Architectural Analysis in Broader Context
Frontier Architecture
In the late 18th century, log construction remained the dominant building form in rural Kentucky. Most surviving examples today are modest cabins, not public buildings. The Old Log Court House is unusual in scale for its time and function, making it architecturally significant on a regional level.
Hybrid Design Features
The later frame addition atop the original log base exemplifies the transitional methods used as communities matured—adding more formal elements like frame work and siding over log cores. The visual contrast between white-chinked logs and dark horizontal beams stands as an aesthetic marker of vernacular evolution.
Civic Symbolism in Modest Form
Unlike imposing Greek Revival courthouses that followed, this building retains a humble resonance—it reminds us that early civic life in Kentucky occurred in buildings built for utility, not monument. Its survival speaks to the respect the town eventually developed for its roots.
Interpretation & Legacy
Educational Value
The Old Log Court House reveals multiple layers of early American frontier history—from legal practice and journalism to early education efforts. It is ideal for interpretation as part of walking tours, particularly when paired with the adjacent historic courthouse and nearby National Register-listed buildings.
Community Symbol
For Cynthiana, it symbolizes perseverance and continuity. A building that functioned at the edge of civilization in 1790 now stands—quietly reminding locals and visitors where the town began.
Conservation Challenges
Preserving a log building in a downtown environment poses challenges: maintaining the chinking, managing water runoff, keeping pests and decay at bay—all while allowing public access. Any restoration must preserve original in-place material while adhering to modern preservation standards.
Civic Artifact
The Old Log Court House is not just Cynthiana’s oldest building—it is a layered artifact of civic, legal, educational, and architectural history. Built of hand-hewn logs in frontier times, it later hosted the printing press of the town’s first newspaper and an early arithmetic textbook. It served Henry Clay in his formative law years and then faded into the background once a Greek Revival courthouse replaced it. Its enduring structure now frames the town square alongside more formal court buildings, bridging two centuries of civic architecture.
Architecturally, it stands as a rare example of vernacular log courthouse design and the transition toward frame construction. Historically, it tells stories of law, publishing, and early education in Kentucky’s nascent communities. Cynthiana preserves it as an emblem of humble beginnings turned lasting heritage.
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