Having grown up about 10 minutes out of downtown Lebanon, I've spent alot of time there. Once a very alive antique destination town, vacancies abound and the city is being consumed by the gross sprawl of Warren County. I don't find the city all that appealing, but Lebanon has a reputation of being the quitessential small town so most find me crazy when I favor industrial cities like Middletown or Hamilton.

 

 

City Hall

 

 

Masonic Temple

 

 

 

 

LCNB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TREEEEES!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IOOF

 

 

A more flattering angle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some old hotel

 

Lebanon's Carnegie Library is identifiable as such, despite its spin on the common Carnegie design. Unlike many Ohio cities, the library is still in use with a sensitive addition completed in 1988.

 

 

 

Post Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WARREN COUNTY COURTHOUSE CONFUSION

 

This is technically the WC Administration Building, although it was designed to appear as a courthouse. Located in a suburban county complex flush with parking, it doesn't get much worse.

 

The WC "Courts Building" is even worse; I suppose this is truly the official Courthouse today.

 

At some point, this building became the courthouse, relocating most courts from the historic courthouse in the urban core.

 

 

THE HISTORIC COURTHOUSE! Built in 1835, new facade in 1894.

 

 

 

 

Old jail

i love how warren is not in warren county

 

or how sandusky is not in sandusky county

or how hamilton is not in hamilton county....

 

I won't in the LCNB building for two summers while in college so i used to do a lot of walking downtown during lunch and breaks.  Lebanon is full of snooty people.

 

Still, it is a cute downtown, featured in both Milk Money and Harper Valley PTA films. 

 

I've never noticed that German deli before; I'll have to check it out.

Or how Logan is not in Logan County.

 

Or how Ottawa is not in Ottawa County.

 

Or how Jefferson is not in Jefferson County.

 

I believe that's all of the Ohio counties that share names with the seats of other Ohio counties. On the other hand, Defiance, Van Wert, Jackson, Delaware, Marion, Medina, Ashland, Coshocton and Athens counties have eponymous county seats.

By the way, thanks for the background on the terribly unfortunate recent history of courthouses in Warren County. And thanks for the fine tour.

Nice!

Pretty cute town. Perhaps they started the Ohio counties' trend of sticking incongrous and inappropriate alterations and additions on once-classic courthouses.

This is a fantastic structure!  Probably my favorite in ALL of Warren County.  :laugh:

Judging by how much time I used to spend there, I think you forgot a very important place in Lebanon! What would Corwin Nixon say?

River Downs is better.

Oh I agree totally, River Downs was/probably-still-is gorgeous, like spending an afternoon at a county fair racetrack - a relaxing afternoon I really miss sometimes since I don't live in Ohio anymore.

i take the middle eastern food is good?