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Court News Ohio
Restoration Projects
at Ohio County Courthouses
By Stephanie Beougher
January 26, 2015
The main courtroom of the Coshocton County Common Pleas Court is
encased in scaffolding so that workers can restore the decorative
ceiling and balcony that have been covered for several decades.
The restoration project came about after a meeting between Judge Robert
Batchelor and the county commissioners about the future of the
140-year-old building.
“We decided together that we ought to preserve this building
because it’s the iconic feature, or the anchor feature, of this
community. And so together, we’ve attempted to do that piece by piece,
room by room,” Judge Batchelor said.
New windows were installed and other repairs made with donations from
several foundations and county funding.
Former Coshocton County Clerk of Court Irene Crouso Miller has become a
passionate supporter of preserving historic courthouses.
“It’s very important to the people in the state of Ohio, not just in
Coshocton County, that they understand how important it is to preserve
the heritage of our government and of our people,” she said.
Coshocton County is one of several historic courthouses under
renovation around the state.
Logan County’s tower is being reconstructed after major damage from a
windstorm in June 2012. Other issues with the roof were uncovered,
adding to the scope of the work. A web cam perched on a nearby building
lets online visitors see the progress.
Crumbling steps are being replaced at the historic Butler County
Courthouse, where previous efforts included restoring the rotunda
skylight.
Hancock County is looking forward to a rededication this summer of its
1888 courthouse after a two-year renovation project.
Prep work on the Wayne County Courthouse foundation is only the
beginning of what is expected to be a $5 to 6 million restoration
project to the exterior of the 135-year-old building.
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