Historic Preservation Committee Annual Report

1. 2017 Annual Report
Historic Preservation
Committee
City of
College Station, Texas

2. Prior to incorporation of the city,
Texas A&M Faculty were housed
on campus.

3. Shortly after incorporation, many of
these houses were moved into the local
community.

4. In 2017, the
HPC produced a
booklet
identifying
existing faculty
homes and their
locations in the
city.

5. The pamphlet has a map of
the location of the houses for
those wanting to take a
driving tour
and includes a photograph and
a short description of most of
the homes.

6. Work began in 2017 on a revision of the 1988
book on the History of College station. The
original author was hired by the city to begin
that project.
In addition, a reprint of the
now out-of-print original
edition was authorized and
completed, but the format
was changed from horizontal
to vertical.
It is hoped that the
revised edition may be
completed in 2018. We
have recommended that
the new book include
images within the text.

7. Two historic home markers were approved
during 2017 for presentation at this meeting.
One authorized re-issuance of a marker for the
first home to be designated with a marker, the
other for the home of Dr. O.D. Butler.

8. As you can see, houses designated with
one of these historical plaques are a
source of pride for their owners and
residents.

9. Revisions to the American Mile proposed in 2016 were
installed in 2017 and a few replacement bricks are
scheduled to be installed in 2018. There have been
changes made and more years added.
The year 1822 is no longer devoid of entries but in fact
now contains four: Denmark Vesey plans slave
rebellion in South Carolina; Jose Trespalacios appointed
governor of Texas; Jared Groce brings first cottonseed
into Texas; and the Texas National Bank of San Antonio
becomes the first chartered bank west of the
Mississippi River.

10. All historical events
in the Brazos Valley
do not fall under our
purview, but as a
committee we do
participate in
various events.
Most of you were
with us for the
dedication of the
statue of Rosie the
Riveter and for the
addition of names to
the Brazos Valley
Veterans Memorial.

11. We did, as a
committee,
participate at
Boonville Days at the
Brazos Valley
Museum of Natural
History. We
displayed tools,
kitchen utensils,
firearms, books, and
other period
appropriate
materials.
We also had butter
churning available at
our booth.

12. I always enjoy visiting the other
booths to see what is new (or old).
This year I was able to pose for my
obituary picture, scratching one
more thing off of my to-do list.

13. For a second year, we
continued our distribution
of historical magazines and
literature at doctor’s
offices and waiting rooms
at other businesses.
Our hope is that citizens
will pick up these
periodicals rather than the
usual glamour fare
available and thereby
perhaps develop an
interest in the history of
our country and our
community.

14. Exploring History Luncheons
This is our most popular and prominent
program. For a fee of seven dollars, individuals
can come, enjoy a catered lunch, and listen to
an expert talk on some historical topic. These
are held once a month from January through
November.
Despite disruptions caused by the necessity of
changing meeting locations, we attracted an
average attendance of 71 per luncheon. Our
total costs were higher for 2017 than for 2016,
but still lower than for 2015. It is hoped that in
2018 with the reduced cost of meeting rooms
that we might come close to breaking even.
Details on cost are included in the written
report.

15. Plans/Recommendations for
2018
The Historic Preservation Committee will continue its
Exploring History Luncheon series with eleven monthly
programs.
We will encourage applications for the historic
homes/buildings markers and perhaps develop a streamlined
on-line application process. We would like to receive
applications from some of the older businesses such as
Aggieland Flowers, or maybe Easterwood Airport.
We plan to continue the distribution of historical literature
to waiting rooms in area businesses.
Cooperative efforts with Project HOLD, the Brazos Valley
Veterans Association, and the Brazos Valley Museum of
Natural History will remain a high priority.

16. New Programs for 2018
It has been five years since we
celebrated College Station’s 75th
anniversary, and in October of 2018
the city will turn 80. We hope to
celebrate this with a low-cost event
and will include other cooperating
organizations within the city.
Discussion began this past week
with representatives of the A&M
Garden Club who have proposed it
being hosted at the Richard Carter
home site.

17. A new project—a pamphlet or web-based resource
highlighting the founders and famous citizens buried in
the city cemetery will be considered for 2018. It will
highlight the careers and impacts of those now interred
there.
Resources exist for information on where individuals
are buried as well as their dates of birth and death.
We would like to develop a resource which can provide
additional information on their lives and contributions.

18. Input received from citizens of the
community indicate an interest in developing
signage dealing with the history of the
streets and parks in College Station,
particularly in the historical areas of the city
such as Southgate.

19. A fourth project we would like to be involved with
is the establishment of a museum for the City of
College Station. Since one has been proposed to
house the Aggies Go to War display, we see it as a
potential place to showcase the history of our city.
We will look to the City Council for leadership in
this area since it would involve considerable
capital outlay.

20. A final recommendation is for the City
Council to consider combining the duties of
the Landmark Commission with those of the
HPC.

21. In summary, the Historic Preservation Committee is a
working group committed to the preservation and expansion
of understanding of the history of this community.
We appreciate the support and cooperation of both Project
HOLD (in the City Secretary’s Office) and the Director and
Staff of the Parks and Recreation Department. Without
them, our accomplishments would have been meager at
best. We also thank Marci Rodgers for her years of service
on the Exploring History Luncheons.