Often, when a building outlives it's usefulness it is merely torn down and replaced with a larger more modern one with twice the office space, but only a fraction of the character. Sometimes we get lucky though. Sometimes the public speaks out loud enough that one of these old gems lives on. This is the case of The Old Thurston County Courthouse. For a short, but interesting explanation click here.
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Great text and great building. I enjoyed this!
Grand old building. And great info too. At least she was restored and is in use today. (even if it did take a long time)
BTW; I decided to rent a car (very inexpensive) and I have to take it back tomorrow. I want to keep it!!!
MB
It does look rather austere...but it also has interesting architectural features that you just don't find in today's buildings, so I'm glad the public voice has saved it! By the way, I see you also use the D40. I love mine. I sprung for the Nikkor 18-200 mm lens. I highly recommend it. It's so nice not having to switch lenses, and the D40 body is light and relatively small. If you ever come into some disposable cash, you ought to buy one. It's costly but well worth it.
I sometimes wonder why they imagine office space will always get filled. There has to be a limit surely.
I like your old courthouse. The one we have in nearby Dayton, Ohio is where President Lincoln stopped off to give a stump speech. And quite a few years ago they refurbished it and put a rather nice place to sit and eat and talk to your friends in areas around the building. So it is a gem among a lot of for rent signs as the rest of the downtown area is a wildnerness of empty buildings. Nobody goes downtown unless they happen to work there. The days of shopping downtown are over. It is also an unsafe place, especially at night. The city officials would like all of us to believe it is as safe as church on Sunday morning but it is just the opposite. But, the old courthouse, is, like your old courthouse a gem.
Yay for the public!
Gosh, something's in the air. Quite a lot of us are waxing nostalgic today.
Nice old building. I have never understood why you should tear down still functional old buildings and replace them with modern and often boring office buildings.
A nice example of 1930s Art Deco. I'm glad you were able to save this fine building.
Nice photo, too! Is that the moon above the building?
Three Rivers Daily Photo
I'm glad they saved that one! I like it in black and white.
To call this building's design "severe" seems to fit it well. It IS great that they didn't tear it down and offices can fill the space. No matter the architecture, it's better in my mind to reuse these big old gov buildings then to see them torn down. What will the generations that follow us think of us if everything of the past has been obliterated?
Got a few leaves to rack?? (I'm trimming palm trees and philodendrons again!)
Not, I think, the prettiest building ever built but it has character. I would rather have office there, than in something anonymous and modern.
I agree completely. In Florida, 20 years is a useful lifespan; then bam, it comes down, and new ticky-tack is erected.
tapirgal: Thank you. You're a sucker for old buildings too.
Small City Scenes: A rental huh? I hope you get yours up and running again soon.
Linnea W: I have the 18-55, 55-200 & a 70-300. My wife is going to take that camera for macro when we step up and buy a D90. You're right though, it's a wonderful little camera. For the average person you really don't need anything else.
Abe: I was wondering if you have ever seen the website "Real Dayton Photos". Pages of Dayton snapshots, most with captions. Judging by a lot of his photos it used to be a great place to live, but has really fallen into hard economic times.
Hilda: I noticed that too.
Steffe: I agree completely.
In Three Rivers: Yep, that was the moon on the evening before Halloween. Almost full.
Lois: Thank you. :-)
Frank: There are enough leaf blowers running around here to cause a gas crunch again. I think most are blowing them into the neighbor's yard.
AB: You're right. It really isn't too pretty, just a historic landmark.
Aileni: You would think so wouldn't you?
Jacob: Isn't it funny how some cities don't seem to have any concern for history. They want everything modern with no concept of preservation.
I like the way the top floors are literally empty. What a grand building, I'm glad it hasn't been torn down.
i like it when old buildings are preserved and kept as well... and add character to the area =)