For over a century, the 1889 Courthouse has been an unmistakable landmark of Washington County. As The Tower Heritage Center evolves, we’re pursuing ways to intentionally leverage our icon’s original design and later alterations to better serve the community.
The 1889 Courthouse is an integral campaign focus of the 5-Year ReConnect. By bringing life into this space, we’ll be able to offer more meaningful experiences, provide resources for local businesses and nonprofits, and continue sharing our community’s rich history.
Step Into the Future of the 1889 Courthouse
On the first floor, museum exhibits are being refreshed and right-sized for continued sustainability.
Exhibits account for the centralized area of the first floor, including:
- A spacious 3-year rotating exhibit
- An exhibit on the Courthouse Square
- A video room with short documentaries
To revitalize the museum and continue preservation efforts in the 1889 Courthouse, we’re looking at $85,000. Work for this project is already underway, with a targeted completion in 2025.
Moving on, the second floor of the 1889 Courthouse will be home to the beloved Research Center and Archive. This location will be more accessible, creating a better experience for researchers. We’re excited to continue growing our event venue rental as well!
Okay, so what about the rest of the space?
By shifting operations over to the 1865 Frisby House, we have the opportunity to unveil our most ambitious program yet, and it all starts with the expansion of our membership offerings.
With purposeful design, we’ll be able to launch a community business incubator space. As a member-centered offering, it will serve start-ups, nonprofits, small businesses, and corporations by providing space and resources. Incubator and coworking areas are hubs for collaboration and innovation. It’s a space for all the doers – who know that good work takes hard work.
Pretty amazing, right?
Updates to the Courthouse to make this possible are estimated to cost $65,000. Work will begin immediately in the new year, allowing us to unroll the program in late 2024.
Offerings will include:
- Coworking space
- Dedicated desks
- Dedicated office space
- Conference room access
- Additional amenities
These offerings are available to all members on a tiered basis. We’ll be sharing more information on this exciting initiative soon!
Let’s Grow, Together
The 5-Year ReConnect is an opportunity for us to reconnect with the community through our shared heritage. Through these key campaign focuses: 1865 Frisby House, 1889 Courthouse, 1886 Jailhouse, Courthouse Square Grounds, and Media, we’ll redefine our ability to offer different experiences that enrich the mission and long-term sustainability of The Tower Heritage Center. If you’re interested, we’d love to have a meaningful conversation with you. Your involvement in this growth means the world to us!