Holmes County celebrates courthouse’s new look with ceremony

After many months of being kept under wraps, the Holmes County courthouse was finally unveiled in late June, its bright, shiny copper top almost glowing in the sunlight.

On Saturday, July 3, several members among the community closely connected to the clock tower renovation project joined Doug Hooper, president and owner of MidState Contractors Inc., and convened in the courthouse Common Pleas courtroom on the third floor of the courthouse to celebrate the reveal ceremony.

The courtroom was at near full capacity to hear presentations from Holmes County commissioner Joe Miller, Holmes County Historical Society executive director Mark Boley and Hooper, who all shared their expectations and joy of the final product.

According to Miller, the commissioners began discussing the renovation project in 2015, and in doing so, they began setting aside funds that would allow them to pursue the project in earnest.

“We three commissioners have been together since 2009, and we all agreed early on that if something wasn’t good for Holmes County, we weren’t going to do it,” Miller said. “We understood that the renovation of a building built more than a century ago would be costly, but it had to be done.”

He said the clock tower project was done without increasing the Holmes County taxes but instead was done through the Holmes County commissioners’ capital improvement fund. Miller also said a large financial investment was made by Holmes County Judge Andrew Hyde’s office, which dedicated $100,000 of its appropriations to the project.

In returning the clock tower to its former glory and following detailed plans that nearly exactly duplicated the former clock tower, Hooper said the people of Holmes County should be proud of the history of this building and everything it represents.

“What we have all been a part of has not just been a present event,” Hooper said. “It has truly been historical in the making. Generations will observe and reflect on what has taken place, and we have made history.”

Hooper also expressed his gratitude to the county commissioners, the renovation celebration committee and the people of the Millersburg community, whom he said were all so welcoming and grateful for the work they did.

“They have been nothing but supportive to our crew and family,” Hooper said. “They have welcomed us with open arms and brought us to where we are today.”

Hooper then summed up the mission of this project by referring to the old statement that “we will never be able to touch our future unless we keep in touch with our past.”

Hooper’s company has been instrumental in renovating a number of courthouses throughout Ohio, and he said each is memorable and important to them. However, he said this one held even greater importance because it was the last one he was able to work on with his father Jerry before he passed away this past year. It was his father who started the company decades ago.

Hooper said faith has always been a big part of his family’s business, and he noted while there were challenging times throughout the project, they were able to complete the project and said he felt God was always there each step of the way as his team worked to complete the clock tower.

Hooper then thanked his family and his employees and touched on the vision of the commissioners in their belief the courthouse needs to remain a focal point in the county. He shared many of the details of how the project progressed, speaking about some of the work and material that went into the restoration project including 9,000 copper rivets and 36,000 deck screws.

“I’ve had the pleasure of being part of some form or some sort of restoration on more than 50 courthouses, from Ohio to Indiana, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia and Virginia,” Hooper said. “I’ve worked on three state capital buildings and countless colleges and church buildings. The Holmes County courthouse has been one of the most unique and beautiful projects.”

For Boley, seeing this project unfold was a delight that helped bring an important piece of the county’s history into focus.

“This is the crown jewel of the county,” Boley said. “There’s nothing else like it, no other building as spectacular as this one, so from a historical perspective, it is absolutely essential that we make it a focal point. I was absolutely thrilled that they decided to renovate it and bring it back to what it was and didn’t just try to fix some of the problems. I’m really happy with the way things progressed, and it looks fantastic.”

Boley said not only did the project highlight the beauty of the building on the outside, but also the intricate structures and décor on the inside of the building are something to enjoy.

Miller also added during a Q-and-A period that while currently the public is not allowed up into the tower, the hope is someday there will be an opportunity to do so, allowing people to fully realize the intricate inner workings and renovation that took place on the inside of the tower.

While the day included a multi-media display featuring a 360-degree look at each part of the renovation inside the clock tower and many words were spoken during the event, none spoke louder than the glowing copper dome and bright white Lady Justice that were restored, bringing the clock tower to its former beauty and glory.