FINDLAY, Ohio — A historic building in downtown Findlay will soon be without a tenant and some community members are worried that without a clear use, they could lose a piece of their local history.
As construction continues for the new Hancock County Probate and Juvenile Court building, folks in the community are beginning to ask what will happen to the old building.
With no clear plan in place as of right now, Preservation Ohio added it to its list of Ohio's Most Endangered Historic Sites.
"It is one of the two oldest religious structures still standing in town. St Mike's downtown has a cornerstone that says 1866," Joy Bennett, curator and archivist at the Hancock Historical Museum, said.
The building was completed in 1867 as a church, then became the home of the Courier Newspaper in 1909.
It acted as a National Guard depot and was the send-off point for local soldiers heading off to World War I. Then, in the '80s, it was the home of the Hancock County Sheriff's Office before its current role as a courthouse.
Many in the community hope to see another use for the structure instead of demolition.
"Most people don't know the history of that building, they don't know all of the iterations of it, it's just a building to them," Bennett said. "So, it's important to share that history and keep it living."
Hancock County Commissioner Tim Bechtol told WTOL 11 over the phone that the commissioners would like to see the building used as a county office.
But that decision won't be made until next year, and not all current commissioners will still be in office at the time.
"That doesn't mean it has to be a museum. It doesn't have to focus on that history as long as it's respected and preserved, that's what's important," Bennett said.
The new court building is currently expected to be handed over to the county in November.
