Ogle County Courthouse is rededicated
One hundred youthful faces were on hand Aug. 20 to celebrate the end of an 11-month, $7.5 million facelift of the grandest —and most noticeable lady in Oregon.
The newly renovated Ogle County Courthouse was rededicated Aug. 20 on the 119th anniversary of its first dedication.
More than 300 people, including 100 fifth graders, gathered on the east lawn of the stately brick building under a blue summer sky for the ceremony.
Beth Simeone, president of the Washington Grove Cemetery Association, told the fifth grade classes from Oregon’s Etnyre Wing that she was glad they attended the important milestone in the county’s history.
“In 50 years you will be the only ones who can say ‘I was there,’ “ she said.
Simeone officially presented the church pews and lectern, which are being used in the county board meeting room on the third floor of the courthouse.
The curved pews and ornately carved lectern served the Washington Grove Church on Flagg Road for almost a century before the church closed.
“The pews will be sturdy and comfortable for the public — even during long meetings,” Simeone said, drawing a chuckle from the crowd.
Former county board chairman Jerry Daws recalled the changes made to the courthouse during remodeling done throughout its existence.
“The Ogle County Courthouse is one of the most popular and most publicized courthouses in the country,” he said. “Today we are here for its rededication. It will continue to serve the people of Ogle County for many years to come.”
County board chairman Ed Rice said the project was more than a decade in the making.
Planning started in 1998, first for building the judicial center to house the courts and related county offices, and then remodeling the courthouse for the county’s administrative offices.
At times he said the project brought heated debates among county board members.
The judicial center opened in 2005 and construction on the courthouse finally began in the summer of 2009.
“We discussed, we debated, and we voted. We even had an advisory referendum. Ten and a half years seems like a long time, but the democratic process was served,” Rice said.
He said the project combined meeting technological needs with historic preservation.
“We protected the historic integrity of this building and we did it under budget,” he said.
Estimated originally at $9.5 million, the renovation’s actual cost will be approximately $7.5 million once all the bills are paid.
State Rep. Robert Pritchard (R-Hinckley) read a proclamation from the state legislature pertaining to the rededication.
Music for the ceremony was provided by the Byron High School Band and a vocal duet from Polo Community High School.
The courthouse was open for tours after the ceremony.
Built in 1891, the courthouse was place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
The building now houses the offices of the county clerk, treasurer, and animal control on the first floor; recorder, supervisor of assessments and geographic information systems (GIS) on the second floor, and coroner, administrator, and board chairman on the third floor.
