Richmond's courthouse square has carried Ray County for a long time

Richmond is the Ray County seat, and the courthouse square is more than a place to park for paperwork. This site has a long history as the civic center of Ray County and Richmond. An 1850 courthouse stood on the same spot, and the present courthouse was built in 1914 and 1915.

The building itself helps explain the square. It is a three-story stone courthouse in the middle of Richmond’s business district. Landscaped lawns sit on all four sides. Clock faces sit in the pediments, and the courthouse carries the inscription, “Obedience to Law is Liberty.” That formal line tells you how the county wanted the building to feel: public, steady, and central.

The practical part is still simple. Ray County lists the courthouse at 100 W. Main St. in Richmond, and the directory routes residents to the assessor, collector, county clerk, recorder, courts, and other offices from there or nearby. If you are recording a deed, checking a tax bill, or dealing with a county filing, Richmond is the hub.

Use the courthouse square as the place story and the county directory as the trip plan. Old courthouse history will not tell you which office closes for lunch, and the current office list will not tell you why the square matters.