The A.N. Myers Home demolition by the Ashland County Historical Society divided many in the city of Ashland, but this isn't the first time that demolition has divided the community.
The original Ashland County Court House was built in 1853 at a total cost of $20,000.
This courthouse was the location of the famous Horn and Gibbons trial which led to the last public hanging in the State of Ohio.
Back in 1928 controversy started over the need for more room to carry out the business of Ashland County's government. A committee of three people (a judge, a newspaper publisher and on resident of Ashland) decided that after an inspector for the State of Ohio cited the need for extensive repairs to the 1853 structure, it was time to create a plan to tear down the old courthouse and build a new courthouse. Ashland County voters passed a levy to pay for a new building by 1,201 votes. Interestingly, all three county commissioners who approved the new building lost in their following elections. The conflict is reported in the Ashland Times-Gazette in 1928.
Even with the objection of many, and voting commissioners out of office, it was too late. The original Ashland County Court House was torn down. Ed McNabb stated that the old courthouse was "the greatest relic in the county."
Many old courthouses today have annexes because they are now too small to function. Ashland County has an annex today. Too bad it is too late. We need to learn from the past mistakes of tearing down historic buildings in Ashland.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Learning From the Past - The First Ashland County Courthouse
The A.N. Myers Home demolition by the Ashland County Historical Society divided many in the city of Ashland, but this isn't the first time that demolition has divided the community.
The original Ashland County Court House was built in 1853 at a total cost of $20,000.
This courthouse was the location of the famous Horn and Gibbons trial which led to the last public hanging in the State of Ohio.
Back in 1928 controversy started over the need for more room to carry out the business of Ashland County's government. A committee of three people (a judge, a newspaper publisher and on resident of Ashland) decided that after an inspector for the State of Ohio cited the need for extensive repairs to the 1853 structure, it was time to create a plan to tear down the old courthouse and build a new courthouse. Ashland County voters passed a levy to pay for a new building by 1,201 votes. Interestingly, all three county commissioners who approved the new building lost in their following elections. The conflict is reported in the Ashland Times-Gazette in 1928.
Even with the objection of many, and voting commissioners out of office, it was too late. The original Ashland County Court House was torn down. Ed McNabb stated that the old courthouse was "the greatest relic in the county."
Many old courthouses today have annexes because they are now too small to function. Ashland County has an annex today. Too bad it is too late. We need to learn from the past mistakes of tearing down historic buildings in Ashland.
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Our courthouse in downtown Dayton is more of a meeting area. Our firm rented it for a Christmas party and we used every room in there. There's just over 100 of us, so it made me realize how really small that space is. I'm glad they saved it and have continued to fix it up.
ReplyDeleteVery cool Cyndi! I have friends in Dayton and will have to check it out!
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