Preservation With a Purpose

As a history buff, it follows naturally that I am a fan of the preservation of historic buildings. But at the same time I am realistic enough to understand that any preservation project must include a specific financially viable plan, or it is doomed to failure.

There are many historic buildings in the city of Tiffin that are worthy of consideration. The most noteworthy at the present time is the Seneca County Courthouse. A group of very dedicated citizens has worked to the point that they are very close to making the preservation of the "Grand Old Lady" a reality. This only remains possible because of the fact that they are working to prove the financial viability of such a project. While the courthouse is likely to be saved, there is still a possibility that it may be deemed infeasible as the issue evolves.

The old Post Office building was repurposed as an annex for Tiffin City Schools for a number of years. After the building had outlived that purpose, a new mission was identified, and it is now being renovated as the home of the American Civil War Museum of Ohio. This is a great success story.

The most noteworthy failure of a proposed preservation project is the old Columbian/East Junior High building. The building has been spared, for the moment, but it is likely to fall victim to the wrecking ball due to the lack of any kind of specific plan.

We cannot save every historic structure. This is a reality that everyone must face. In many cases demolition will be the only remaining option. We must all understand that preservation for the sake of preservation is not a realistic approach. If a structure is worthy of preservation, then it must be saved for a specific and viable purpose, or it cannot be saved at all. This is just the natural order of things.

We save what we can, and we reluctantly let go of those things that are no longer of any reasonable use. It is then left to folks such as myself to preserve the record and memory of those things that once occupied that space. After all is said and done, that too can be a successful preservation project.

SJH