Village Hall
Edgerton, Williams County – on list since 2008
On May 9, 1884, a contract was signed under a joint venture of the Village of Edgerton and St. Joseph Township Trustees to begin construction of the Village Hall and Park Opera House for the lowest bid of $7,998. The hall has been at the center of community life for well over a century. The Park Opera House included a stage and three arched balconies of polished oak, and was used for concerts, plays, elections, lectures, commencements, dances, basketball and WWII storage of cots and medical supplies. The “writings on the wall” behind the ticket booth are autographs of performers and lecturers from the late 1890s through the early 1920s.
In 1978, the first floor was remodeled and contains the offices of the utility and tax clerks, the Village Treasurer, the Village Administrator and council chambers. The police station is also housed on the first floor. The opera house has been closed for us since the 1950s.
Over the last thirty years, neglect has caused deterioration of the opera house. The roof has needed replacement causing ceiling damage, the bell tower roof blew off in a storm several years ago and has never been replaced, and some exterior bricks have deteriorated from neglect. The building is still determined, however, to be structurally sound by engineers and architects.
In the Fall of 2006, Village Council discussed tearing down the Village Hall, and letters written to the local newspaper helped cause Council to reverse their decision. In February of 2007, the Council again discussed demolition, and hired a consulting firm to present estimates for a renovated hall with additions and a new building that would necessitate demolition. On February 4, 2008, Council voted to proceed with demolition by a tie vote of 3 to 3, with the Mayor breaking the tie in favor of demolition. Since that time, Village officials have said that the “issue is closed” and “…the Village Hall is coming down.”
Since that vote, there has been an ongoing effort on behalf of many in the community to advocate for preservation. In a village of just 2,000 people, over 600 signatures have been collected on petitions, and pledges totalling over $20,000 have been received. A local businessman collected over 60 signatures of local businesses on a statement advocating the adaptive reuse of the building, and stating that that project would influence their “…plans for future expansion in the village.” The statement is signed by two banks, the local hospital, professionals and many local businesses.
For some time, the main page of the Village of Edgerton website proudly displayed a picture of the Village Hall. Even the Village realizes, therefore, that this building is a civic icon that is important to the character, marketing and economic development of its community. Preservation Ohio supports the work of any and all in Edgerton working in a positive way to secure a future for this irreplaceable part of local history and culture.
In late 2008, the Village offered the building for sale to the local historical society, however funding for acquisition, renovation and ownership is an issue.
Links for Additional Information:
- April 29, 2008 - Edgerton’s 1884 village hall faces demolition
- August 23, 2008 – Preservationists want to save Edgerton Hall – but not own it
- Complete List – 2009 Ohio’s Most Endangered Historic Sites
Additional Photos: click thumbnail for larger image
