Part of county history fades away as contents of the Tuscarawas County Home are auctioned Oct. 17
Pieces of history were sold off, lot by lot, on Saturday, Oct. 17, when the contents of Colonial Manor, the former Tuscarawas County Home, went on the auction block. Tuscarawas County commissioners contracted with Cronebaugh Auction Service LTD, a Stone Creek auction company, to handle the historic sale.The county commissioners were present throughout the day, and Steve Cronebaugh served as primary auctioneer for the event. He was assisted by fellow auctioneer Terry Longsworth. “It’s a mammoth building, with over 100 rooms,” Cronebaugh commented. “We had two auctioneers going at it for over five hours, and we sold well over 800 lots during that time. There was very little we couldn’t sell.” Cronebaugh noted that there were more than 250 registered buyers present, and many stayed for the entire auction, which was conducted on a room-by-room basis.
“We had a really good turnout, especially considering the weather. Some things went for much higher than we thought they would, and some for much lower,” said commissioner Jim Seldenright. “Overall, I believe all three commissioners were happy with the way things turned out.”
One important sale made during the day was a large number of metal hospital beds, purchased by the West Lafayette Rotary Club. “They will be loading them up and shipping them to the Philippines for missions work, and for surgeries. There are a couple of doctors from the Rotary Club who are going there to work, and they are going to take the beds with them,” Cronebaugh explained. “This is in response to recent devastating weather conditions in the area that destroyed a lot of the available facilities. It is going to cost roughly in the neighborhood of $2,000 or more to ship them there. We have to round up the money for the shipping, but we will get them there.” Anyone who wishes to donate to help defray shipping costs can do so by contacting Bob Nelson, West Lafayette Rotary Club president, at 740-545-7186.
Bidders were willing to pay for collectible items, and some went at reasonable prices.
“One of the best deals of the day was an antique oak roll top desk, that went for far less than its value. There were other good buys, like the mission oak benches, and the church pews,” commented Cronebaugh, before adding, “One collectible tabletop lamp, however, sold for $250. The glass-fronted bookcases, which are not seen very often and are in high demand, brought around $400 each.”
Cronebaugh noted that several former employees of Colonial Manor also attended the auction. Not only did they purchase mementos while there, but they also answered questions about specific items. Cronebaugh commended the role that the Colonial Manor caretakers had in getting the auction ready, as they collected almost 100 years worth of accumulated items. “The maintenance people kept things in very good, original-type condition over the years,” Cronebaugh commented admiringly.
The building was built in 1929. County commissioners made the difficult decision to close the facility, which housed county residents who needed some sort of assisted living, in the spring of 2009. “Every day that we walked in there, after the closure was announced… seeing the history of the building, and the lives that it touched, was hard. It was a hard decision, but I believe it was the right decision,” said Seldenright. It had become apparent that it was in the best interest of residents and taxpayers alike to move the few remaining residents to new homes.
All profits from the sale of the contents will be turned over to the commissioners’ office, as the contents were considered county property. The building itself will be sold by a sealed bid, with bids accepted until mid-December. For more information on that process, potential buyers should contact Cronebaugh or Nelson at 740-545-7186.
“I compliment the people who came out and bid. There was a lot of history in that building, and I think many people just wanted a piece of that history. An auction is supposed to be a fun thing to attend, whether you are buying one item or 50 items. I hope everyone had a good experience and enjoyed the day,” said Cronebaugh, summing up the sale.
It was the end of a long day, and the end of a memorable era.