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York County Controller Robb Green said he wonders who has stepped on the ceramic tile that now fits in a box in his office.
It's survived more than a century in front of the doors of the county administrative center in downtown York -- a building that served as the county's courthouse from the 1800s to 2004.
Had it not been for Green's box, the pieces could have gone in a dumpster.
The tile was slated to be junked after it was ripped out months ago because of repairs made under the material.
"It's not just a bit of history, but it's a remembrance of York County's past," Green said.
Most pieces were too crumbled to salvage, he said, but he managed to rescue enough substantial pieces to fill two boxes.
In May, the tile was removed outside the entrance of the building when the county commenced work to repair the mortar underneath.
Scott Cassel, county facilities management director, said the ends of each strip of tile began to lift off the ground. Attempts to patch trouble spots were unsuccessful, so the county pursued a complete overhaul.
The project, however, meant most of the tile that had graced the floor of the portico would be shattered beyond recognition.
As each piece landed in the dumpster, souvenir hunters looked in to see what they could take with them, Green said.
The historical value inspired Green to ask Garretson Tile Co., the contractor replacing the mortar, to save large pieces for preservation.
Two boxes were filled with the
One of the boxes was picked up by the York County Heritage Trust. Those pieces could be displayed for exhibition, pending approval by an exhibition committee.
"It tells (the story) of the renovation of the second courthouse and of the people who walked right over it for years," said Jennifer Hall, director of exhibits and collections for the trust.
As for the other box of tile, Green wants to give the pieces to local historical societies.
If they're not interested, he plans to give them to people who have a history with the building, he said.
What's important, he said, is that the historic tile won't be lost forever.
"When it's gone, it's gone," he said.
