HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/08/1997 - Regular Minutes - Historic Preservation Committee HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
REGULAR MEETING
COLLEGE STATION CONFERENCE CENTER
1300 GEORGE BUSH DRIVE, ROOM 106
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1997 -- 5:15 P.M.
HISTORIC COMMITTEE Bill Lancaster, Chairman Deborah Jasek, Co- Chair Dennis Maloney
MEMBERS PRESENT: Bryan Howard Elton Abbott Mary Jane Hirsch Sharon Menn Brett
Estes
MEMBERS ABSENT: Carol Wagner Bill Fox, Council Liaison Aaron Ffrench, Old Main
Society Liaison
STAFF PRESENT: David Gerling, Special Facilities Superintendent Pamela Einkauf, Senior
Secretary
VISITORS PRESENT: None Present
Due to technical problems, this tape was inaudible in some places.
I. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 5:15 p.m. by Bill Lancaster, Chairman.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes for December, 1996 were approved with only one
correction. Brett Estes' name was added to the list of Historic Preservation Committee (HPC)
members present.
Pam explained that due to mechanical problems the minutes from the December meeting were
considerably shorter than usual. She explained that in the past she would transcribe and leave in a lot
of the conversations because she felt as though some of the discussions needed to be documented for
historical purposes -- much like an oral history session. However, she asked for the members' input
on whether or not the remainder of the minutes needed to be as detailed as they had in the past.
After some discussion it was decided that the members preferred the shortened version, leaving in the
"oral history" type information.
3. HEAR VISITORS: No visitors present.
4. REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF HISTORIC HOME APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED: David
said there were no new applications, however there were three homes that the HPC needed
additional information on: the Duke House at 600 Old Jersey, the Burke house at 502 West Dexter,
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and the Stewart home at 708 Hereford. Dennis said he'd spoken to Mr. Stewart, who'd said he
didn't know where to get any more information. Bill L. said that Ralph Steen, the former owner of
the home, and former President of Stephen F. Austin College, was still living and should be able to
provide additional information. Bill L. stated that the home next door to 708 Hereford was a Sears
Roebuck house. David said he would try to get the home owners with the pending applications to
provide additional information so the HPC could review it at the next meeting.
5. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS:
Historic Tourism: Mary Jane said she had nothing new to report, but asked David, who was
working on tourism within the City. He said there were a lot of people, but Skip Noe or Steve
Beachy would be good people to talk to. Bill L. suggested she attend the next Tourism Committee
meeting. David said he would find out when and where the next meeting would be held and let her
know. He explained that the Tourism Committee was made up of City staff, Chamber of
Commerce people, kcal business owners, and citizens.
Oral History;. Bill L. said the next Memory Lane would be February 19, 1997, on Military
Personnel. David said that he's already gotten calls wanting to know when the Memory Lanes book
would be ready. Bill L. said he didn't know how the HPC would find someone to write it. Dennis
suggested that someone with the History or Sociology Departments at the University might be
willing to do it as their dissertation.
Research and Archeology: Bryan said he had talked to an Eagle reporter who wanted information
on a current HPC project for a story. Bryan told the reporter there wasn't anything currently going
on, but it reminded him about the log cabin south of town near Lick Creek Park. He stated that he
was very opposed to moving the structure unless that was the only way it could be saved. He said
he'd like to see interest drummed up in the community about preserving it, and an article would be a
good way to do that. He stated that the owner would need to be contacted first to see how he felt
about the cabin.
Photo Document: Bill said he was still searching for old pictures. Sharon said that she could use
some help on the subcommittee. Dennis said that other than taking the pictures, he'd be glad to help
her in any way, explaining that he took terrible pictures.
Education: Deborah stated that she didn't have anything new to report. She did say that there were
a few of the churches that were old enough, or would be old enough, that they could probably get
historical markers. Most would only be able to get site markers because the church buildings have
been changed or rebuilt. She said that one or two of the black churches, which had also been school
sites, had just turned 100 years old. She stated that she would try to get with the pastors to get
information with regards to historic markers for those churches. She said that St. Mary's, which
dates back to about 1910, was doing their own history and when they were finished she'd get the
info from them as well.
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Community Appearance: Dennis said a lot of people were upset because they didn't have the
Southside Historic signs in their area. He said people also want to know about the period street
lights and he doesn't have any information to give them since no plan has been put together. He
said he'd like to do some flyers and start hand delivering them, section by section, to try and get the
neighborhood associations formed.
6. OTHER COMMITTEE CONCERNS: There were no other committee concerns.
7. ADIOVRN: The meeting adjourned at 5:50 p.m.