Learning From The Past - Ashland County Jail

In 1886 Ashland County built an amazing brick Victorian house at the corner or Cottage and 2nd Streets. It served as a home for the sheriff's family and the jail itself.
Built by George W. Kramer of Ashland and F.O. Weary of Akron, this double bricked building cost $24,116.74. With a major renovation in 1951, the building was still used as the jail until the early 1970's.
Betty Plank wrote about the situation in her first book, Historic Ashland County.
"Early in the 1970's the decision was made to move the jail to the basement of the former post office, which was being transformed into a county office building.
What to do wit the old jail became an issue. A group of preservations called a town meeting for Sept. 29, 1975. Jeff Darbee, then a representative from the state historical preservation office, spoke of the possibility of getting 50 percent restoration money if the home gained acceptance on the National Register of Historic Places. Because of its history and architecture, he felt it would be accepted.
The committee filed the necessary forms and the house did gain acceptance. County commissioners Don Workman, C. Jay Welsh and Richard Bear raised some objection that this step was made without their knowledge.
Preservations, led by Elizabeth Pastor and others, then were able to get a $1,500 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which was matched with local private funds to finance a feasibility study.
They hired Robert Goede, a Cleveland architect interested in restoration, who, with Kim F. Zarney of Medina, drew up plans for converting the structure into offices.
Because of the jail controversy, the commissioners appointed a committee of seven, headed by Gladys Thomas of Nova. Their 15 page recommendation that the jail be used for presently rented county offices and storage, was approved by six of the seven. The seventh, who was a builder, recommended demolition.
The commissioners then decided to place the issue on the November ballot. The millage was figured at .25 mills.
A committee called 'Save Money, Save Jail' was formed. Mansfield architect Tim Alexander said the renovation would cost $274,695. This would translate into $2.50 a year for a home with a market value of $30,000, the committed estimated.
Local architect George Raike concurred that the building was sound and the quality of construction could not be duplicated today.
Don Graber, one of the architects who remodeled the old post office into the County Office Building, did not agree that the jail could be renovated at that figure.
Another committee called 'The Committee to prevent the waste of taxpayer's money' was formed and was headed by Don Hostettler.
They argued that it would be cheaper to add another floor to eaither the Courthosue or the County Office Building and 'when things were put on microfilm,' storage would not be needed. Some did not like the look of the house and said it "was out of place."
The voters spoke Nov. 8, 1977, with 9,302 against and 5,093 in favor of saving the building. In the city itself, the vote was 3,467 for and 2,228 against.
On March 3, 1978, the walls cam tumbling down. Steve Huber managed to salvage a marble fireplace mantel and Harley Freer bought the tower steel from the salvage company. These were give to the museum along with an old dress form from the third floor and some brass hinges which Eloise Noonan rescued."
It is amazing to me that only ONE on the committee of seven recommended demolition.