History Of Greenfield:

In 1925 an extensive remodeling took place to meet the changing times and needs of the community. The brick exterior was covered with stucco and art stone, and the iron grillwork was removed form the top of the structure. The old auditorium was no longer needed and was remodeled to accommodate jail cells, council chambers and other offices. A police officer’s room, public comfort station and other municipal offices occupied the first floor.

More remodeling took place in 1949 during the community’s sesquicentennial. At that time the permastone exterior was added, and apparently the jail facilities were returned to the first floor.

For most of the past 50 years the second floor has been devoted to the pursuit of justice. The Highland County Court occupies a large portion of the second floor. Other offices on the second floor are connected to law enforcement activities, including the Highland County Community Corrections Office and several police offices.

The cornerstone of the building, which had been covered up by a past remodeling project, was uncovered in the 1970s. The decade of the 1970s also marked the restoration of the clock tower by Bob Todhunter and a group of concerned citizens.

The courtyard around city hall underwent a renovation in 1995 with landscaping and extensive concrete work, and a war monument was erected by the Concerned Veterans of Greenfield in 1996.

As the community’s thoughts turned to the bicentennial in 1999, the Citizens Building Renovation Committee was formed to work for the renovation of the city hall. An architect specializing in historic restoration projects has developed a plan to restore the exterior to an attractive appearance and rework the interior of the building into a three-story plan that should meet the city’s needs for the foreseeable future.

Much of the groundwork has already been laid. Despite rumors to the contrary, research revealed the deed to the property was still in the hands of the county, just as the history books said. On January 20, 1999 the county commissioners deeded the property to the city of Greenfield so that the ownership of the property will not be an issue.

In August 1999 the citizens of Greenfield approved a .125 percent increase in the city income tax to finance the renovation of the city building. Asbestos removal and other site work took place in 2000, with the more visible part of the renovation beginning in March 2001. General contractor for the project was Portco from Portsmouth, Ohio.