Its only 110 miles as the crow flies between Washington Court House and Tiffin, but the future of their landmark county courthouses may well be dramatically different due to the resourcefulness of the Fayette County Commissioners.

Just as the Seneca County Commissioners prepare to demolish their venerable courthouse – despite estimates that show renovation as a less expensive option than demolition and building new – folks in Washington Court House are celebrating the results of the Fayette County Commissioners’ work to find avenues toward funding restoration efforts.

On Monday, the Commissioners, joined by their state representative, local judges and other officials, were presented with a check for $1.9 million for work on the Fayette County Courthouse, which was constructed between 1882 and 1885 - the very same time frame as its counterpart in Tiffin. According to this coverage in the Washington Court House Record-Herald, the official present from the source of the grant, the US Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development organization, shared this observation - "The partnership we share with Fayette County’s leadership positions us to help with projects focused on preserving the county’s historic heritage.”

Photo: Fayette County Courthouse, Washington Court House - Seth Gaines/Creative Commons License