Members of the Leadership Sulphur Springs Class smile proudly, once their class project, the restoration
of one of the historic vault doors in the Hopkins County Courthouse, was back in place, at ceremonies
Friday morning.

 

Historic Vault Door Restoration Unveiled
at Friday Morning Ceremonies

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

 

It was an enthusiastic crowd that gathered at 10:30 a.m., on Friday, in the Hopkins County Courthouse, to unveil the historic vault door, that has been restored to its original. The project was undertaken by the Leadership Sulphur Springs Class working in cooperation with the Texas Historical Commission and with "seed" money obtained as an award by the Texas Land Title Association. "We're excited to have the door back and to have it in all of its original state, as it was when the historic Hopkins County Courthouse was built," expressed Judge Cletis Millsap, as he served as Master of Ceremonies for Friday's event.

 

Matt Brown, Robert Vanwinkle, and Kayla Price prepare to unveil the
beautifully restored door.

 

 

 

 

Michael van Enter, of Dallas, the restoration artist, was on hand to offer his outline of the many steps taken to restore the "Diebold Vault Door." "The door had at least 6 coats of paint over the original artwork," expressed van Enter. "More than likely it had gotten dirty looking when the original shellac veneer had discolored from the coal heating in the courthouse, and some guy with a bucket of paint has 'slathered' a layer of paint over the door and the original artwork. Then, each time the walls were painted, it got another coat of paint. We used a tedious process of removing each layer and then lifting the artwork from beneath. Some of the orginal motifs were 'negative lifted' to restore original work."

 

Restoration artist and sculptor, Michael van Enter, visited with those present about the restoration work
and the many, many facets of the historic vault door in the Hopkins County Courthouse.

 

Michael van Enter, a new American Citizen, is a native of South Africa and this is the 63rd courthouse door that he has restored, from his Sculpting and Conservator Studio, in Dallas. "It's great to return something of beauty to its original for everyone to enjoy!" continued van Enter. "And, I'm happy to be a part of this project that the people of Hopkins County can enjoy for many, many years to come!"

Millsap introduced Robert Vanwinkle of Hopkins County Abstract Company and Kayla Price and Markeda Fisher with Professional Land and Title Company, who spoke about their involvement with the Texas Land Title Association, and of how excited that their state organization provided the initial $2500.00 award to begin the project.

State Representative Mark Homer, who chairs the Historical and Tourism Committee for the State Legislature, gave brief remarks about the state programs and how excited he was to have this project unfold in his district. He then introduced Dennis Cordes, with the Texas Historic Courthouse Stewardship Program, who gave those in attendance an outline of the restoration.

 

State Representative Mark Homer addresses the
crowd about his involvement with the Texas Historical Commission.

Dennis Cordes, with the Texas Historic Courthouse Stewardship Program,
speaks from the podium, at Friday's ceremony.

 

Following the ceremony, Vanwinkle, Price, and Fisher, along with Leadership Class President, Matt Brown, unveiled the door to the "ahs" of all present. The striking door had a beautiful work of art on the front, that had been restored to its beauty, depicting an earthen cliff, overlooking a stream or lake, and even had two people in the scene, strolling beside the water.

Everyone present posed for photos with the beautiful door and then refreshments were served.

 

Robert Vanwinkle, Kayla Price, and Markeda Fisher, discuss how their
Texas Land Title Association provided the award of $2500.00 to begin
the door restoration project.

 

Those in attendance were advised that the door was "likely" in the 2nd Hopkins County Courthouse, that burned prior to the present structure, and could have possibly proteted the county records, during that fire.

"You truly have a 'one-of-a-kind' work of art, in your county!" expressed van Enter. "It's something that the people of Hopkins County can truly be proud of!"

Another vault door, on the second floor of the Hopkins County Courthouse still needs to be restored. "You can bake loads of cookies, cakes, and pies, and raise the money!" advised Matt Brown, as he described his Leadership Class' work on fundraising for the effort. "I'm proud of the efforts that our class undertook and now we have something we can all be excited about!"

Drop by the Hopkins County Courthouse and view the beautiful vault door, that is now restored to its original beauty! It's truly something to behold!

 

 

From this....

 

To This....

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