Members of the current Leadership Sulphur Springs Class gathered on Wednesday morning, on the first
floor of the Hopkins County Courthouse, as they began witnessing the removal of the vault door that they
raised money to restore.

 

Leadership Sulphur Springs Class
Delivers Courthouse Door For Restoration

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

It was an exciting day for members of the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Sulphur Springs Class, as they saw all their hard work begin to come to fruition. Class members had attended a leadership class on County Government, in the Hopkins County Courthouse, about 18 months ago, when they noticed the historic door to the vault, needing restoration. They began asking questions and found that the door had once been a focalpoint of the first floor of the historic building. However, years of neglect and many coats of paint had left the door an "eye-sore" as people entered the building. "It was just something that needed to be done," expressed Kayla Price, a member of the class. "The door was the first thing that you notice when you enter the building from the southwestern entrance, and we felt that it said something about the people of Hopkins County!"

 

Class members "look on" as the vault door is removed for transportation to Dallas for restoration.

 

"The class saw the door and learned that it had not been restored due to a cost of approximately $12,000.00 for the restoration," advised class member Donna Luttrell. "That's when we decided that this would be an ideal class project for our class and we began working to make it happen!"

 

Dallas restoration expert, Michael VanEnter, secures the door for
removal and transportation out of the Hopkins County Courthouse.

 

Each year class members of the Leadership Sulphur Springs Class choose a community project and raise the funds to get the project completed and take the necessary steps to get the effort done. This year's class members began selling cakes and pies, conducting fundraising efforts, and accumulating money for every source imaginable. "We literally raised the money for this project one dollar at the time!" exclaimed member Neva Mohesky. "That door has become near and dear to us, as we went about making plans and raising funds to have it restored!"

 

 

VanEnter, in front directs Hopkins County inmates and Matt Brown on
removing the door from the Hopkins County Courthouse, on Wednesday
morning.

 

Well, on Wednesday morning, the class met at the Hopkins County Courthouse, where they had an appointment with restoration expert, Michael VanEnter, from Dallas. VanEnter has become an expert on the doors like this, in historic buildings, as he has researched the origin of the doors and undergoes the restoration of them to their original state. The Hopkins County Courthouse door will be the 61st door that VanEnter has restored. "I've learned much and continue to research the unique attributes of each door," stated VanEnter, once he had the door removed, transported to a trailer outside the courthouse, and securely in place for transportation. "The door was made by the Diebolt Company, probably in Ohio, in the 1880's style. Traditionally, the door would have made its way south via the waterways of the rivers, from Ohio to its Hopkins County destination."

 

VanEnter secures the door on a trailer for transportation to Dallas,
and explains some of the unique features of the door, made in the 1880's.

 

 

"The door has an oil painting on it, beneath several layers of paint and we'll find that it includes trees, mountains, and a stream or lake, bearing the traditional scenes of the artists during this time period," allowed VanEnter. "The door is not made out of a single sheet of metal, but several layers that are forged together, and riveted at key points throughout the construction."

 

When asked about the scene painted on the door, VanEnter allowed that the scenes were traditionally bucolic scenes, and bore distinct caligraphy and decorative pediment, or pin-striping. VanEnter has contracted to do the restoration with the class, at a charge of $11,200.00, and will begin work on the door almost immediately. He didn't give them an exact date of completion, due to the unique qualities of the door and the restoration process.

Watch for more coverage and pictures of the historic door, once it arrives back in Hopkins County and is installed for everyone to enjoy!

"We want to thank all of those people in Hopkins County, who have supported and contributed to our fundraising efforts," expressed Matt Brown, another class member. "We're excited about being able to deliver this door back to Hopkins County for everyone to enjoy!"

 

Leadership Sulphur Springs Class members and VanEnter gather around the door, as it is ready to be
transported to Dallas for restoration.

 

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