The building that is home to the registry of deeds is also the location of the probate and family courts. Shortly after walking through a metal detector, those waiting to pass under the doorways marked "courtroom 1" and "courtroom 2" nervously listen for their name to be called, perhaps wondering how their life journeys took them here -- a dimly lit, decaying lobby with not enough seating and a depressing snack cart. Upstairs, under the sanctuary of a stained-glassed dome, clients huddle with realtors and lawyers, signing document after document, experiencing one of this modern life's cornerstones: homeownership.

Posted on November 18, 2009 by Katie