The Mobile Express made an overnight trip to Western Ohio and both events were quite successful.
On Tuesday, I took the Van out to Sidney, the seat of Shelby County. We had been to Sidney before to work with ex-offenders and we were to do the same this time around. Our first trip was much more personal as we spoke to people after they left meetings with their parole officer. This trip was a horse of a different color as that same parole officer, the wonderful Rick Harmon, created more of an event atmosphere the second time around.
And man did that change yield some positive results on our end. We were busy. In three hours we had completed over a dozen applications and spoke to 20 people in need. It was fantastic.
The next day was spent in Van Wert, the seat of - you guessed it! - Van Wert County. The entire county is unrepresented by the Ohio Benefit Bank-- Zero sites. The closest ones are 20 miles up the road in Paulding. Our Northwest Ohio Regional Coordinator, Gayle Loyola, was hosting a presentation about the Benefit Bank to local non-profits and she wanted us there to show them the awesomeness of the Mobile Express. We were happy to oblige.
One thing that struck me about Van Wert and Sidney and Bellefontaine (which we drove through) are the absolutely ridiculous county courthouses. I'm sorry, Ohio, but these things are tacky.
First we have Bellefontaine's:
And let's follow up with the courthouse in Sidney:
That building looks like a crazed dollhouse.
Finally, Van Wert:
This is probably the worst offender since Van Wert is a fairly tiny place. Why does it need to try so hard?
Now, let's contrast these with the courthouse in my home county, Barnstable County, Massachusetts.
Ah. Home sweet home!
That humble old-timey courthouse covers a population 1.85 times the population of those three Ohio counties combined.
Obviously the Ohio courthouses happened and getting rid of them isn't plausible or necessary and they would be really neat if there wasn't one just as gaudy one county over. I just wonder what the heck Ohioans were thinking when they built these things. It seems very nouveau-riche; like Ohio was so happy to be a statewhere no expense was spared. And that is how you end up with McMansions of the courthouse architecture community.
I personally like the courthouses. There's not much else to see when you're driving through that part of the state, so a big ol' "tacky" building, as you put it, is kind of nice once in a while.
ReplyDeleteI don't know Russell, I like the not-boring architecture. I think it just points out the value of Law or law process in these communities.
ReplyDeleteI too wonder what they were thinking. Can you imagine being at the table with the founders of the building/town strategizing purpose, intent and level of grandiousity?
We may never know.
I'm glad your events went so well! However, I'm afraid I'm going to have to jump on the proverbial Ohio Courthouse Bandwagon. I'm not entirely in agreement with your courthouse defamation. I'd categorize them as "whimsical" rather than tacky. Don't worry, we're still friends.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for goodhearted kidding, so here's MY courthouse defamation: your home county courthouse looks like a mausoleum. So I guess that's where law and justice go to die?