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Near beams where workers in 1879 carved their names, Lake Central High School senior Monty Stockton-Fresso on Friday directed volunteers in a cleanup of the bell tower and attic of the historic Lake County Courthouse in Crown Point.

Stockton-Fresso was hard at work on what was his idea to fulfill his Eagle Scout project requirement – take care of areas in the Grand Old Lady where few have ventured.

“We are cleaning it out and sorting through it,” he said. “There are various wood and debris and clay tiles from the roof that were tossed into the attic and bell tower. We’re seeing what is salvageable.”

Artifacts discovered include an old Christmas star with Edison bulbs that used to adorn the clock tower during the holidays.

Roof tiles sit stacked in corners of the belltower of the historic Crown Point Courthouse as crews of local Boy Scouts prepare to clean the room on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.
Roof tiles sit stacked in corners of the belltower of the historic Crown Point Courthouse as crews of local Boy Scouts prepare to clean the room on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.
Lake Central High School student Monty Stockton-Fresso carries pieces of wood from the bell tower of the historic Crown Point Court house on Friday, January 4, 2019, as he and other volunteers help clean rooms in the building.
Lake Central High School student Monty Stockton-Fresso carries pieces of wood from the bell tower of the historic Crown Point Court house on Friday, January 4, 2019, as he and other volunteers help clean rooms in the building.

Carrie Napoleon, Managing Director for the Lake Court House Foundation and a Post-Tribune correspondent, hopes to have the star reassembled and placed on the courthouse lawn in front of the Christmas tree for future holidays.

“He’s been fantastic,” Napoleon said of Stockton-Fresso.

Stockton-Fresso approached Napoleon in the fall looking for an appropriate project for his Eagle Scout requirement and it was right around the time the foundation board was looking to hire someone to clean out the attic and bell tower.

“He said it was something he could do,” Napoleon said.

Napoleon said cleaning out debris and dust will also help the building’s HVAC system – which is in the attic – run more efficiently.

Lake Central High School student Monty Stockton-Fresso gives orders from atop stairs in the attic of the historic Lake County Courthouse on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.
Lake Central High School student Monty Stockton-Fresso gives orders from atop stairs in the attic of the historic Lake County Courthouse on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019.
Two volunteers carry half of a bicentennial flag on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, as they and other volunteers help clean the attic and bell tower of the historic Lake County Courthouse.
Two volunteers carry half of a bicentennial flag on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, as they and other volunteers help clean the attic and bell tower of the historic Lake County Courthouse.

Stockton-Fresso, who plans to study environmental engineering, had help from fellow Troop 45 members including Ryan Mount, a senior at Crown Point High School.

“I like seeing inside where a lot of people don’t get to see,” Mount said. “It’s cool. “It is nice to know it is going to be clean.”

Assistant Scoutmaster Pete Beres also helped out and called it a great project that serves a purpose as far as giving back to the community. He also considered it a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see something and be somewhere where “you always wondered what it would be like.”

“This is my opportunity,” he said.

Rob Earnshaw is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.