Newark Historic Preservation Projects to Receive State Honors

Newark’s Historic Transformation Earns State Recognition

Downtown Newark is set to receive a rare double honor this week as the Ohio History Connection prepares to announce its 2026 State Historic Preservation Office Awards. On Friday, Nov. 6, officials will gather in Columbus to recognize the restoration of the Licking County Courthouse’s West Courtroom and the meticulous revival of the Louis Sullivan Building. Among 37 applicants this year, Newark stands out as the only city to secure two separate project awards, reflecting a decade of concentrated investment in the city’s architectural heritage.

As reported by TheReportingProject.org, the upcoming ceremony at the Supreme Court of Ohio building marks a high point in a long-running effort to reverse the decay that gripped many classic downtowns during the late 20th century. State Historic Preservation Officer Diana Welling, who oversees the office responsible for the awards, noted that the city’s success has been so pronounced that her staff recently held their annual retreat in Newark to tour the renovated sites, including the 150-year-old courthouse and the UNESCO World Heritage Site at the nearby Newark Earthworks.

The Domino Effect of Downtown Investment

Welling pointed to the late 1990s as the catalyst, specifically the restoration of the Midland Theatre. That 1928 structure, which sat shuttered from 1978 until its $8.5 million reopening in 2002, served as the initial domino in a series of municipal and private investments.

“Newark is such a great preservation success story,” said State Historic Preservation Officer Diana Welling, who oversees the State Historic Preservation Office. “One investment begets another, Welling said, and in Newark, restoration projects large and small have cascaded around Courthouse Square and beyond.”

This momentum recently carried through to the $3.2 million restoration of the West Courtroom, which was rededicated on May 1, 2025. The project involved a painstaking effort to restore the dome and ceiling murals, some of which feature intricate allegorical depictions of war, peace, and industry. Conrad Schmitt Studios worked alongside Licking County officials to ensure the space regained its original majesty.

restore the ornate West Courtroom

Beyond the Facade: A Community Reborn

The Sullivan Building, a “jewel box” bank building designed by the legendary architect Louis Sullivan, underwent a 10-year, $14.1 million restoration. Connie Hawk, who led the fundraising effort as the former president of the Licking County Foundation, emphasized that the building serves as a tangible connection to the past. The addition of an elevator required structural work on an adjacent, older building, and the exterior terra-cotta tiles—including the famous “spitting lions” that served as gutters in the early 1900s—required significant repair after decades of rust and decay.

Connie Hawk, the former president of the Licking County Foundation who led the effort to raise $14.1 million to restore the Sullivan Building, said the preservation awards are a testament to the investment Licking County residents and former residents have made in preserving the history and culture of Newark and Licking County.

The economic reality of these projects is supported by federal tax credits, a process that required strict adherence to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s historic preservation standards. For the Licking County Commissioners, the award is not a trophy for officials, but an acknowledgment of a community that chose to invest in its own identity. As the city prepares for the annual lighting of the Licking County Courthouse—a tradition dating back to 1948—the focus remains on the longevity of these structures.