Fairhope, Alabama
RENEWED PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETS
During its April meeting, the city's re-formed Historical Preservation Committee heard Mary Shell of the State Historical Commission talk about how state programs could help preserve Fairhope's remaining historical structures and sites.
Community Services/Preservation Specialist Shell touted advantages of the city participating in the state's Certified Local Government Program.
A description of the program's benefits appears on their website:
"Local governments strengthen their local historic preservation efforts by achieving Certified Local Government (CLG) status from the National Park Service (NPS). NPS and State governments, through their State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs), provide valuable technical assistance and small matching grants to hundreds of diverse communities whose local governments are endeavoring to keep for future generations what is significant from their community's past. In turn, NPS and States gain the benefit of local government partnership in the national historic preservation program."
The rapidly-deteriorating last home of the city's founder Ernest Berry Gaston at 118 Magnolia Avenue (pictured above) is one that could benefit from the program; the K-1 school, Fairhope Hardware building, and Bell Building (original Organic School) are example of others that might qualify as well.
CITY COUNCIL'S CONSENT NEEDED
Committee Chairman Jill Godard proposed for Shell to come back (June?) to make another presentation to the city council ... which must vote to participate; Foley and Magnolia Springs are already participating in the CLG program.
Lisa Atchley, Gary Gover, Jim Higgins, Cooper Norman, Gabriel Gold-Vukson, Skip Jones and Andrew Ousley are the other current members of the committee.
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| City founder E. B. Gaston's home in disrepair |
RENEWED PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEETS
During its April meeting, the city's re-formed Historical Preservation Committee heard Mary Shell of the State Historical Commission talk about how state programs could help preserve Fairhope's remaining historical structures and sites.
Community Services/Preservation Specialist Shell touted advantages of the city participating in the state's Certified Local Government Program.
A description of the program's benefits appears on their website:
"Local governments strengthen their local historic preservation efforts by achieving Certified Local Government (CLG) status from the National Park Service (NPS). NPS and State governments, through their State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs), provide valuable technical assistance and small matching grants to hundreds of diverse communities whose local governments are endeavoring to keep for future generations what is significant from their community's past. In turn, NPS and States gain the benefit of local government partnership in the national historic preservation program."
The rapidly-deteriorating last home of the city's founder Ernest Berry Gaston at 118 Magnolia Avenue (pictured above) is one that could benefit from the program; the K-1 school, Fairhope Hardware building, and Bell Building (original Organic School) are example of others that might qualify as well.
 |
| Old Fairhope Hardware building |
CITY COUNCIL'S CONSENT NEEDED
Committee Chairman Jill Godard proposed for Shell to come back (June?) to make another presentation to the city council ... which must vote to participate; Foley and Magnolia Springs are already participating in the CLG program.
Lisa Atchley, Gary Gover, Jim Higgins, Cooper Norman, Gabriel Gold-Vukson, Skip Jones and Andrew Ousley are the other current members of the committee.
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| Shell at left; Chairman Godard center |
Comments
The Founders are turning in their graves.