Central Hotel, Galion, Ohio

Dear Preservation 911,

Since 1993, I have been trying to save the most historic structure in our small city of Galion, Ohio. It is the Central Hotel, the most impressive building on our town square. Unfortunately, it has been vacant since 1985 and was neglected long before that.

When I was growing up, this marvelous structure housed a beautiful white-tablecloth restaurant with candles on every table. Our girls' glee club used to sing to the patrons during the holiday season. This hotel was on the original Lincoln Highway and is affiliated with such people as Thomas Edison and President Warren Harding. Henry Lee, founder of the Lee Jeans Company, worked at the hotel as a porter and earned enough money to go off to Kansas to start his now-famous firm.

I am a member of the Galion City Council, which has worked for years to free up the hotel's title. We recently had the building purchased by a local corporation at a sheriff's auction. We have $220,000 available for stablization and the possibility of getting more from the state. However, we cannot find anyone willing to take on this task.

We are desperately looking for a developer. The structure has been deemed "unsafe" by a building inspector. I am afraid that if there is no stablization plan by September 1, 2001, it will be torn down.

If someone out there knows of a developer who would be willing to take on such a project, please e-mail me, call Linda Chambers at Main Street Galion at 419-468-4812, or call city manager Phil Honsey at 419-468-7414.

Sincerely,

Pauline Eaton
Galion, OH

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