Historic courthouse doors get shine

Young County Commissioners approved a shineup of the historic courthouse’s six large brass doors as the first step in a possible cleaning of the building’s stone, which is molding in places. The doors, darkened to a dark patina by years of weathering, will be stripped to their former coppery brightness through a process known as soda blasting. The commissioners voted to pay $12,000 to Soda Blasting of West Texas to perform the refurbishment. Soda blasting uses specially formulated granules of baking soda and compressed air to clean and restore historic buildings and monuments, the company’s website said. It is FDA-approved, non-toxic, water-soluble, and contains no free silica, the company said. The commissioners also discussed having the company assess the cost of blasting the 1932 Style Moderne courthouse’s limestone and concrete exterior but took no action at their July 11 meeting.