At one point, it was state law that the sheriff and their family had to live on the premises of the county jail. The sheriff’s residence provided for that. Every county had one and they were connected to the jail in some way. In Belmont County, the residence was in service as that from 1890 until 1976. After that, it became county offices until 1996 when it was vacated. Thankfully a group of preservationists rallied to save the building. The Belmont County Commissioners utilized grant funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation, Economic Development funds, and local funding from the Belmont County Tourism Council to restore the structure. The building is now a museum dedicated to the county’s history.
The museum is open April-November on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10am-4pm or year round by appointment.
