Giant Abe causes dome-painting delay

The painting of the historic Miami County Courthouse dome will be delayed until fall to protect the 30-foot Abraham Lincoln sculpture visiting on the Courthouse lawn.

Preparations were under way late last week to continue painting on the dome started last summer when it was decided to hold off on the project contract signed recently with Lee Restoration.

The county commissioners had been assured during recent discussions that the Return Visit sculpture on display as part of this year’s Troy Sculptures on the Square exhibit would be safe from paint overspray. A closer look by the contractor and discussions with the county, however, led to the delay, Commissioner John “Bud’ O’Brien said.

The display of the 30-foot, 40,000-pound bronze sculpture of Lincoln and a modern day man opened during a dedication May 3 and is scheduled to stay six months. Contractor workers began covering the sculpture Friday morning before the contractor decided to delay the work. The top portion of the dome was painted as part of ongoing maintenance last year. The painting of the second and third sections to the building’s roof was planned in coming weeks.

Lee Restoration was awarded the job for $49,474 for priming and painting the dome from the top railing to the slate roof.

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