It has been a busy last few days in Tiffin, where the Seneca County Courthouse demolition saga continues. On Monday, the community welcomed Stanley Graves, director of the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program, a visit facilitated by the Tiffin Historic Trust. The Texas program, which is housed with the Texas Historical Commission, is the foremost courthouse funding program administered by any state government. Information on the Texas program can be accessed by clicking here.  Interestingly, the Texas State Capitol in Austin was designed by Elijah E. Myers, architect of the Seneca County Courthouse.

Unfortunately, Mr. Graves’ visit did not meet with universal enthusiasm, and the people most in need of hearing his comments, County Commissioners Sauber and Nutter, declined to grant him the opportunity to make a formal presentation – the latter quoted by the Toledo Blade as saying, “…"The decision on the courthouse has been made, and at some point those things just aren't productive any more." Graves did nevertheless speak to the Commissioners during the public comment section of their Monday morning meeting.

Also on Monday, Graves joined members of the Tiffin Historic Trust and others on a tour of the shuttered courthouse, and then made a public presentation at the Tiffin-Seneca Public Library that evening. Extensive coverage of his tour and talk can be found both here and here. The presentation was also attended by representatives of the offices of Governor Ted Strickland and Ohio Treasurer Richard Cordray.

Meanwhile, the action filed by the Toledo Blade against the Seneca County Commissioners in the Ohio Supreme Court is still pending. To read the public documents and to follow that action, click here for the website of the Ohio Supreme Court. The case number is 2007–1694.

Photo:  Llano County Courthouse, Llano, Texas, restored under the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program - Seth Gaines/Creative Commons License