After more than 60 years, carpeting in the two courtrooms of the
McKean County Courthouse is being replaced.

The small courtroom is completed and work on the large courtroom
is under way this week.

Joanne Bly, court administrator, explained Monday that taxpayers
have gotten their money’s worth from the old carpeting.

That carpet has been in place “since that courthouse was
rebuilt, which was in the 40s, when that front section had to be
rebuilt because of fire,” Bly said. A fire on Feb. 12, 1940, felled
much of the courthouse. The rebuild was completed in 1942.

And the courtrooms have been used on a “pretty much daily” basis
ever since, Bly said.

“It was probably all-wool carpeting,” she said. “This
(reproduction carpeting) is 80 percent wool. It should stand up
pretty well.”

“It was in there a long, long time,” said Commissioner Chairman
Cliff Lane. “It was good carpet.”

And the intention, when talk of replacing it began, was to
replace quality with quality, he said.

“Hopefully it will be another 30 or 40 years before this carpet
needs replacing,” said Dick Casey, county administrator. “It’s well
made and durable.”

Casey explained the project went out for competitive bids, and
Soroush Custom Rugs of Kensington, Md., was awarded the project
with a low bid of $30,000. The maker of the reproduction carpet is
Axminster Carpet, Bly explained.

“We knew it would have to be a certain brand, that only certain
places do it,” she said, explaining they wanted to keep the
historic accuracy of the courtroom by having the original carpet
replicated.

Referring to the courtroom, Bly said, “It’s just so beautiful
and regal, it’s nice to have that same feeling.”

To replicate the carpet, samples had to be sent to the
manufacturer – but where do you get a section of 60-year-old carpet
still in good enough condition to duplicate?

“We took pictures and sent sections that didn’t get much fade or
wear,” Bly explained, saying pieces were taken from beneath the
judges’ benches.

The new carpeting will cover the floors of both courtrooms
completely. The old carpeting had been only in the front section
where court proceedings took place.

“Just because of maintenance reasons, it probably will be
simpler to vacuum than to take care of the tile that was under
there,” Bly said.

And a larger consideration was now that court proceedings are
recorded for transcription if necessary, the carpeting deadens
excess noises that could reverberate throughout the room.

“It really helps to quiet things down and insulate it,” Bly
said.

Monago’s Floor Covering Inc. is working under a separate
contract to remove the old carpet and install the new carpet. The
amount of the contract was not immediately available on Monday.

The Bradford-based company began working on the large courtroom
last week and should finish this week, Bly said.

“We kept it open this week,” she said, referring to the
courtroom. “The judges are at the state judges’ trial conference.
It’s not too often we can live without it.”