Upgrades keep courthouse looking good

Upgrades keep courthouse looking good

Fresh paint a first for historic structure in decades

news@theeveningtimes.com

The Crittenden County courthouse is getting a fresh new coat of paint.

Workers began caulking windows, scraping paint, and readying the outside before they can apply the new finish, which likely won’t be for another few weeks.

“We are excited about the courthouse getting a fresh paint job,” said County Judge Woody Wheeless.

“It’s been about 30 years since the last time it was painted.”

The paint job is the latest in a serious of ongoing renovations to upgrade the historic structure.

The courthouse was built in 1911 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Quorum Court has spent about $250,000 over the past five years sprucing the building up, which was showing its age.

Officials appropriated money for a new heating and air system, repaired the elevator, and went roomby- room renovating each office space on the first floor. Contractors tore out all of the wood paneling and replaced flooring and lighting.

Wheeless said the county got a $96,000 grant to paint the outside and replace all of the windows.

“With all the interior upgrades ,it’s only fitting to do something outside,” Wheeless said. “Receiving a grant has allowed this project to move forward.”

Wheeless said the citizens will be extremely proud once they see the results.

“The courthouse is 107 years old and its important to continue preserving the structure,” Wheeless said.

Photos by Mark Randall

By Mark Randall