The holiday lighting display at the Licking County Courthouse in Newark has been taking place each year since 1928. (Credit: Ken Drenten)

By Ken Drenten

In many Ohio county seat towns, county courthouses are the focal point of community holiday decorations. This seems to have increased over the past 20 years or so with LED lighting, synchronized music and lots of special effects. Here are a few of these displays.

The Guernsey County Courthouse in downtown Cambridge comes alive nightly with lights that are computer-synchronized to both traditional and contemporary holiday music through January 1. The magnificent 1881 building jumps is bathed in more than 66,000 lights, an amazing 20-foot Christmas tree and 60 animated displays. Each hour features a wide variety of music including children’s, contemporary and traditional Christmas favorites. The show begins at 5:30 pm each evening and concludes at 9 p.m. (11 p.m. on holidays).

The Guernsey County Courthouse in downtown Cambridge has an impressive computer-synchronized lightshow. (Credit: Ken Drenten)

The Licking County Courthouse in downtown Newark is a National Historic Landmark located on the public square and constructed in 1876. The tradition of lighting the structure began around 1928 with vertical strings of white bulbs from the clock’s top to the ledge just above the roof. The building is now decorated on all four sides with additional displays on the grounds and festive music accompanying the lights.

Muskingum County Courthouse lighting display. (Credit: Ken Drenten)

Built in 1870, the Muskingum County Courthouse in downtown Zanesville is decorated during “A Storybook Christmas!” with light displays set to festive music. The display runs through January 1 on Fridays and Saturdays from 5-10 p.m. and Sundays through Thursdays from 5-9 p.m.

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Other courthouse lighting displays include Light Up the Square in Warren. For more information about lighting displays throughout Ohio, go to the Ohio Holiday Lights Trail.

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Ken Drenten is creator and manager of Dusty-Tires.com, a travel blog for out-of-the-ordinary places in Ohio.

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