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    A letter from the THC asking the city to halt its plans for demolition.

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    Letter from Texas Historical Commission

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    A letter from the THC asking the city to halt its plans for demolition.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    Download as pdf
    141 views2 pages

    Letter From Texas Historical Commission

    Uploaded by

    The Daily Sentinel
    A letter from the THC asking the city to halt its plans for demolition.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
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    ES) TEXAS HISTORICAL Pe ee COMMISSION Eee ere ‘he State Agency for Histor Peseraton ‘March 31,2009 ‘Mer Brian Bray, Historie Preservation Officer ity of Necogoctes P.O. Box 653030 ‘Nacogdoches, TX 75963-5030 Re: Projet review under the Antiquities Cade of Texas, Propased expansion of Oak Grove ‘Cemetery and demolition of house at 720 Bos re, Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches County (R istrict) Dear Mr. Bray, ‘Thank you for providing additional information regarding the house at 720 Bois D’Are, to be demolished as part of the proposed expansion of the Oak Grove Cemetery in Nacogdoches, ‘Texas, This letter secres as comment from the Excoutive Director of the Texas Historica ‘Commission, the state agency responsible fer administering the Antiquities Code of Texas. ‘The review staff, ed by Rachel Leibowitz and Eiznbeth Butman, has completed is review of the ratenel received on February 27, 2009. According tothe National Kegister of Histone Places (NRHP) office ofthe National Fatk Service, the hovse et 720 Bois D’Are is CONTRIBUTING to the Zion Hill Historic District. It appears to have been ised in the NREP nomination a5 4 ‘non-conributing property in error, but is shown on the map forthe district as contbuting, Furthermore, the Zon Hill Histris District is primarily significant for its soial history as an “African-American community, and due tothe relatively modest architecture inthe neighborhood, te nomination outlines flexible definition for contributing properties. If, despite slieations, the “dwelling’s basi frm remains inact and adds, if only to sll degree, tothe districts overall Iistorie ambiance, the property i classified as a Contributing element” By contrast, nox ‘contributing properties “have been so severely altered that lit, if any, oftheir original or historic fabri is recognizable" (Section 7, Page 3). While the house at 720 Bois D'Arc was ‘aubject to a numberof changes afer the poiod of significance forthe dist, its basi fam and ‘charsctecsties remain intact. Additionally, the hovse appears to have eerved as the parsonage for Zion Hill Baptist Church, located immediatly west ofthe bouse atthe intersection of N. Lantana and Bois D'Arc. ‘The esearch yoa submited indicates that John Schmid, the basinessian who fd the and and finnoed the construction ofthe present church building in 1914, consracted {his house around 1900 and, at « date not specified, leased it to Reverend J.C. Sweeney. ‘Reverend Sweeney is listed asthe pastor on the comersone of the church. City Directory research for ths address would be necessary to determine whether the dwelling was occupied by ‘other pastors following Reverend Sweeney. ‘Due to the house's stats as a contibuting resource inthe Zion Hill Historie Districts potential ‘Significance as the parsonage for the Zion Hill Baptist Church, and its proximity tothe highly ‘Snificant church sanctuary, the Texas Historical Commission wrges the City of Nacogdoches {o reconsider demolition of this property. The community, in collaboration with your office, ‘BO. BOX 12276» AUSTIN, TX THI 2216 «STANGESIOD « FAK SLBIATSAATE« TDD 1007SFIN ‘nas invested considerable time and resources ito the restoration of Zion Hill Baptist Church under ‘our Texas Preservation Test Fund grant program, and these efforts should not be underained by ‘emotion of te adjacent historic propery. We concur thatthe cemetery expansion should not result inthe los of other coninbuting resources inthe Zion Hill district, on Bois D'Arc or Emest, ‘Alley, nor should it encroach on the Washington Square and Nacogdoches Dowatown historic Gistricts across N. Lantana St. However, neither this nor your previous submittal justify the need {for expansion or explain other altematives that have been explored to dete. While the cemetery is ‘bounded by N. Lantana St. tothe west end Lantana Crek onthe eas, could property on Swill St be sequired to expand the cemetery to te south? Have other locations been considered, such a nearby but dscontiguous ste? ‘The minutes for the Nacogdoches Historic Landmark Preservation Committee mecting on April 7, 2008, downloaded fom the City's website, indicate thatthe committe didnot unanimously suppor emclition ofthis house, ad approval was granted based primarily onthe representation that this propery is non-conributing tothe historic distct. While the loca district and NHRP

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