Clay Residents Have Opportunity To “Adopt” A Historic Courthouse Window

Clay County is in the process of restoring the over 150-year-old windows of its historic courthouse.

Historic Courthouse Curator Thomas Watson said that restoring the 29 windows costs about $2,500 each. He said that the work is funded both by grants and a program he started called the “Adopt a Window.”

“If anyone a family, a group, if someone that has a family member that maybe was one of the county officials or something that was in the courthouse as far back as 150 years ago that might want to purchase the window as an ‘adopted parent.'”

Watson said that to adopt a window, those interested would contribute to the $2,500 cost and they would get a plaque marker honoring them. He said that through a grant from the Tennessee Historical Society and the window program they’ve been able to cover the cost of six windows to restore this year. Watson said that this year they received a $6,000 from THS that requires a 40 percent match.

Watson said that the project is a long-term project that involves a lot of work. He said that the need to restore the windows came about as the courthouse began to be worked on for new uses, like a community theater.

“And we also have something on the back burner on that where we’re getting ready to start on,” Watson said. “And that is to convert part of a couple of the rooms downstairs into  Roly Hole Marble Museum.”

He said that anyone interested in participating can call him at (931) 243-3464.