Tiffin has been able to preserve many historical buildings, and many buildings with architecture that defined a past era. The Ritz Theater and Heidelberg College have buildings that are in relatively good shape, but that’s not all. Of course, there are some churches, too. There are many buildings of a residential nature that are also preserved well, some of which are now in use as something other than a residence. I’d say Tiffin has been more successful than many towns in preserving it’s history.

My own view on this particular matter is that if engineering studies had shown the building to be structurally sound, I think a case could be made for preserving the courthouse. Many old buildings are structurally sound, as building materials today are often flimsier that what was used in bygone eras. An effort to preserve this courthouse, though, would require taxpayer dollars to be shoveled down a money pit. No business or non-profit wants to buy the building and preserve it because they also realize it’s a money pit.

But if the voice of the voters had said, “OK, let’s use our tax dollars to pay whatever it takes to preserve this courthouse,” I’d have been okay with that, but the truth of the matter is, the county-wide bond issue to accomplish that very purpose suffered a massive defeat this spring. I don’t advocate a position that flies in the face of democracy. The only potential source of funding the preservation has dried up.