You’d think a town named Washington Court House and a shop named Court House Custom would both contain staid and conservative attributes, like an old Carnegie Library or a shop fulla bridal dresses and fine crystal. Not so kimosabe.
Court House Custom is in Washington Court House, Ohio which is located centrally between Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati. Washington Court House (often abbreviated as Washington C.H.) is a small city in Union Township, Fayette County, Ohio.
Colonel Alonzo B. Coit ordered his troops to fire through the courthouse doors, killing five men. Colonel Coit was indicted for manslaughter but was acquitted at trial. After the trial, Governor McKinley stated, “The law was upheld as it should have been … but in this case at fearful cost … Lynching cannot be tolerated in Ohio.” The courthouse doors were not repaired or replaced and the bullet holes from the 1894 riot are still present in the southeast doors.
In 1910 the “Court House” suffix was used to distinguish the city from other places in the state with “Washington” in their name. The nasty history doesn’t end there.
The Court House shop was owned by Jason Stritenberger and D.J. Jenkins, two longtime friends who have known each other since grade school. Jason and D.J. started welding, building bikes and powder coating in Jason’s garage in 2004, but D.J. had a twist. He started building gas tanks with holes in them.
In late 2006 both of them decided to leave long term jobs to follow the American entrepreneurial dream and start their own business doing something they love, but Jason wanted D.J. to change is evil ways. The chopper spirit takes on odd and sometimes foreboding characteristics.
Since opening, the Court House Custom grew into a reputable company but faltered when D.J. built a scooter named Dirty Sanchez. D.J. welded into the night turning out strange components with bizarre designs. He snorted powder coating pigment and lived in the oven. His partner became wary of his macabre behavior, while trying to keep the calm reputation of the Court House.
Then D.J. started talking about glory holes and tasteless women. That did it, the partner split.
D.J. never turned away from adversity. He snorted a line of Tangerine pearl powder and went to work doing everything he could to keep the Court House lights burning, he turned out some of the finest powder coating in the region. He changed tires, did tune-ups, restorations, metal polishing, chroming, machining services and engine rebuilds.
Hell, he had the only shop in this small town and had to do anything and everything to keep the cash flowing and the brothers on the road.
In mid 2008 Court House Custom launched a new line of custom motorcycle parts designed and hand built by D.J. and Jason, but with Jason out of the picture, ground up chops and new product design waned. “I had to focus on keeping the lights on,” D.J. said and replaced the drive-chain on a customer’s Sportster.
But in his eyes the flare of the chopper lives.
In November 2008 CHC gained national recognition when the CHC Triumph was featured in Cycle Source Magazine after it won best of show in a Cycle Source Bike Show.
In early 2009 Chris Callen, the boss from Cycle Source offered CHC a spot as an advertiser in the Limpnickie Builders Manual. D.J. continued to keep The Court in the spot light earning a 3rd Place win with the Glory Hole at the Easyriders Bike Show in Columbus in February 2009.
After the win at the Easyriders Show, the boys traveled to the Horse Smokeout in North Carolina in May of 2009.
The Smoke Out proved to be a successful venture when The Dirty Sanchez and The Glory Hole were both picked as 2 of the 10 winners. Throughout 2009 they continued to travel the country attending many motorcycle events and spreading the word about Court House Custom and the Limpnickie Lot. See, the chopper spirit lives!
The future of CHC will be focused on offering continued service work from oil changes to engine building, building one-of-a-kind custom motorcycles once in a while and improving the efficiency of their powder coating processes.
“The Glory Hole Specs”
Year: 2009
Model: 1980 Harley Shovel
Engine
Carb: S&S
Air Cleaner: Bare Knuckle Choppers Glass Jaw
Pipes: CHC
Transmission
Model: RevTech
Type: 4 Speed
Accessories
Gas Tank: CHC
Battery Box: CHC
Grips: CHC
Tail Light: CHC (Made from Vintage Microphone)
Pegs: CHC
Head Light: CHC (Made from Vintage Spot Light)
Bars: CHC
Rear Fender: Led Sled
Oil Tank: CHC
Handlebars: CHC
Seat: Outside The Box Cycle Seats
Frame
Type: Rigid
Builder: Maximum Metal Works
Paint
Painter: Darren Williams @ Liquid Illusions
Paint Color: Cinnamon Pearl and Silver Flake
Awards
3rd Place in Street Custom Judged Class, Easyrider Invitational Bike Show, Columbus Ohio 2009
SHOW WINNER 2009 Horse Smoke Out 10
