Court House Construction & Contractors

Questions surrounding the construction of the Wood County Court House were a matter of great debate, much of which centered around the potential cost of such an enormous project in a relatively small town like Bowling Green. Many citizens questioned the practicality of building what Bowling Green Daily Sentinal writer R.S. Parker described in an 1896 editorial as such a "magnificient and beautiful edifice;" other Bowling Green residents, however, were swayed by the influence of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, which showcased some of the most advanced technology and architecture in the world, and provided much of the impetus for building such an elaborate structure. In his editorial, Parker argued that such a grandiose project as the Courthouse was necessary in order to demonstrate that "the aesthetic sense of the people of Wood County is not less refined than that of people in general in this country." Inspired by what he called "the grandeur and spendor of the great display of American enterprise and American genius," and particularly "by the architecture of the beautiful 'White City,'" which showcased advances in American technology, science and art, Parker and other important citizens of Wood County were powerful proponents of the "spare-no-expense" approach to constructing the new court house.

Of course, the enormous amount of money involved increased the chances of political favoratism and other shady dealings, and the various Wood County officials were accused of charges ranging from bribery to embezzlement. In June of 1895, for example, three commissioners, another former commissioner, an architect and the general contractor were all indicted for crimes related to the construction of the building. Much of the controversy centered around authority over the project, as the county commissioners attempted to negotiate terms with the architectural firm of Yost and Packard, out of Columbus, without consulting with the building committee established specifically for the purpose of overseeing the project.

Certainly, a great deal of consideration was given to the construction of the Court House, and in the end, the city employed some of the finest contractors in the Midwest and utilized some of the best construction materials available. As early as 1893, Bowling Green's city commissioners had entered into negotiations with Yost and Packard to begin designing the court house, and although several groups and individuals filed lawsuits intended to check the enabling authority of the city commissioners, due to rumors of scandal, progress continued for the next several years.

Perhaps the most dominating feature of the Court House is its imposing granite tower clock, which rises over 185 feet above the city and can still be seen from several miles away. Built by the Howard Watch and Clock Company, the square tower has four separate clock faces, each one facing a different point of the compass, along with a 2000-pound bell to strike the hours. The clock itself is noteworthy for having the second-largest clock hands in America, shorter only than those on the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper building.

Another interesting feature of the courthouse is its lighting system. Although Bowling Green was in the heart of gas and oil country in the late ninteenth century (the city having grown rapidly following the 1885 discovery of oil in Findlay, about 20 miles to the south), electric lighting was rapidly becoming the illumination of choice in America by the turn of the century. Aside from being potentially cheaper in the long run, electric lighting also offered less risk from fire, a serious consideration for a building which was to house all of Wood County's important documents. At the same time, however, since much of the tax money raised to build the court house came from the oil and gas industry, many people thought that gas lighting would be more appropriate for the building. To solve this problem, the commissioners approached the Western Gas Fixture Company, of Toledo, who had previously installed the lighting fixtures for several other court house and public buildings in Ohio and Indiana. Their solution was to install "combination chandaliers," bronze fixtures complete with both "light colored glass shades for the gas jets and electric light bulbs."

Some of the most interesting and unique features of the new court house are its external stone carvings, done by the architectural sculpting firm of Whyte & Priest of Dayton, Ohio, whose reputation was "well known among architects and contractors" in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, and who did sculpting work as far away as Connecticut, a noteworthy achievement for a firm from what was still considered by many in the East to be America's hinterlands. Whyte & Priest created many ornate sculptures for the Wood County Court House, both on the inside and outside, a few a which are shown here. The springers at both sides of the main entrance, for instance, are carved entirely in sandstone, and there are "several allegorical subjects among the different designs" on each, including one with a griffon holding a snake in its mouth "to represent the strong arm of the law crushing out vice and corruption."

Another interesting animal sculpture shows a lizard-like reptile "being tied in with a design of interlaced work," representing "evil in the meshes of the law."

Another contractor which provided an important contribution to the courthouse was the furniture manufacturer, M. Ohmer's Sons who, like Whyte and Priest, also hailed out of Dayton. Ohmer's Son's specialized in elaborate but sturdy wood furniture, and had previously supplied the interior furnishings for a number of government buildings from as far away as Massachusetts and Florida. The furniture itself was made out of "white oak of an unusually good color and figure . . . which presents an excellent contrast with the handsome designs of solid copper oxidized screens of the counters."

Despite their reputation as a quality furniture-maker, however, Ohmer's Sons was among the companies embroiled in the political chicanery surrounding the construction of the court house; it was later discovered that Ohmer's bid was $4,000 (or nearly 25%) higher than that of a rival Chicago firm, and that their bond was signed four days before the contract was even awarded, indicating that they had received "special" consideration.

Although some residents of Bowling Green opposed the construction of such a lavish structure as the Wood County Court House, none could claim afterward that it was not sturdily or thoughtfully constructed. The floors and central staircase, for example, are made of marble imported from Venice, Italy, while the the original roof contained expensive stained glass (since removed.) So, even though Bowling Green was still but a small speck on the map, its citizens could claim that they had seen over the construction of a "stately monument to the generous liberality of a thrifty and progressive people, the pride and admiration of the present, and a glorious heritage to generations yet unborn. And so it is.

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