HERITAGE PRESERVATION, INC.

Minutes of Meeting, 3-26-07

 

Those present:  Lee Freeman, Cathy Myers, Charles Harlan, Betty Champion, Hester Cope, Charlotte Dean, Iva McClure, Bob Torbert, Brett Wood, Billy Warren, Carolyn waterman, Mary Peck

 

  1. Charlotte Dean made the motion that the minutes of the 2-26-07 meeting be approved.  Brett Wood seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

     
  2. Billy Warren presented this treasurer’s report:
    1. Checking Account Balance                               $5,207.53
    2. Forks of Cypress Account                                  3,234.78
    3. FDR Fund                                                          5,000.00
    4. Riverview Historic District                                        97.43

 

Bob Torbert made the motion that the report be approved.  Charlotte Dean seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

 

  1. Bob Torbert made this report on the Habitat for Humanity house currently under construction on North Cherry Street:
    1. The local Habitat group designed the house to blend with the surrounding houses since Cherry Street is on the National Register.
    2. It is a four-bedroom house with 1.5 bathrooms.

       
  2. Bob Torbert encouraged everyone to visit the former Brandon School building (it is currently owned by the Methodist Church) to see the exciting ways it is being used by non-profit community agencies that exist to make the community better.

     
  3. Bob Torbert reported that Bill McDonald is currently telling his great local stories directly into a tape recorder.  The resulting tapes will be invaluable in the archives of Florence and Lauderdale County.

     
  4. Billy Warren reported that Davis Faulkner hopes to have the dedication ceremony for the restoration of the Bailey Springs Cemetery during Memorials Day weekend.  Billy stated that Davis’s Eagle Scout project is the most ambitious one that he has ever seen.  All expressed pleasure that HPI’s name, as the fiscal agent, will be associated with this fine project.

     
  5. Lee Freeman stated that these personages will be highlighted at the Cemetery Stroll on Saturday, April 28 (Sunday, April 29, in case of rain):
    1. Judge William B. McClure
    2. Frank Perry
    3. Alexander Falk
    4. M. W. Camper
    5. William Edward Blair
    6. Virginia Irvine
    7. Dr. & Mrs. James Albert Keller
    8. Hon. Rev. Mitchell “Mike” Malone, Jr.
    9. Zebulon Pike Morrison
    10. Miss Jem Weakley
    11. Aunt Abbeville & Uncle Reuben Patterson
    12. John Garibadi
    13. Mountain Tom Clark

       

Lee has written seven of the biographies already and has e-mailed them to Keith Hager who is casting and directing the Stroll.

 

These assignments were agreed to:

·        Bob Torbert will try to get two porta-johns provided gratis.

·        Carolyn Waterman will provide lemonade, a checkered tablecloth and change to set up the till.

·        Hester Cope will provide lemonade.

·        Brett Wood will provide a pop-up tent and two folding tables.   He will also direct traffic.

·        Billy Warren will secure blockades from the Florence Police Department to close all but two of the entries to the cemetery.  He will also provide trash containers and will organize the crowd to make sure that the Stroll runs smoothly.

·        These people agreed to escort groups on the Stroll:  Lee Freeman, Betty Champion, Hester Cope, Charlotte Dean, Iva McClure, Carolyn Waterman, Mary Peck.  Others will be asked to help, too.

·        Bob Torbert will set up an information booth to let visitors know about the cemetery restoration project.

 

  1. Hester Cope made this report on the upcoming Alabama Adventure Weekend sponsored by Billy Reid/Pickett Place:
    1. On Friday, April 20, these events are open to the public:

                                                               i.      11 a.m. – 1 p.m.:  Concert in Wilson Park (free),

                                                             ii.      5 p.m.:  Chicken Stew at Pope’s Tavern (($5.00),

                                                            iii.      5 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Open House at Billy Reid/Pickett Place (free), and

                                                           iv.      7 p.m.:  Premier of new film at Shoals Theatre (free);

    1. On Saturday, April 21, 10:00 a.m., Billy Warren will lead a free walking tour beginning at Billy Reid/Pickett Place.

       
  1. Hester Cope made this report on the cleaning and redecorating of the Karsner House:
    1. The local delegation of state legislators (Tammy Irons, Bobby Denton, Mike Curtis) is supervising the cleaning and redecorating since it plans to use the downstairs room as part of its base of operation.
    2. The Muscle Shoals Homebuilders Association is providing workers for the actual work of redecorating.
    3. The legislators plan to host an Open House at Karsner House (date TBA) when the redecorating is completed.
    4. Bob Gamble, architectural historian at the Alabama Historical Commission, is being consulted during the redecorating process.

 

Hester stated that Wilson Dam was the first structure in the Tennessee Valley to be listed with the National Register of Historic Places.  The Karsner House was the first building to be listed.

 

  1. Billy Warren distributed copies of the current list of HPI’s Board of Directors, divided into three classes (December 31, 2007; December 31, 2008; December 31, 2009).   It includes the name, U.S. mail address, telephone number and, where available, e-mail address of each Board member.

     
  2. Billy Warren distributed copies of the Lauderdale County page of the “Penny Postcards” website.  It has only four historic postcards from our county displayed on it.  Adding postcard images to it is free and fairly simple; therefore, HPI might like to consider assuming responsibility for adding more local postcard images to it.

     
  3. Lee Freeman reported that Dr. Richard Bailey from Montgomery made a really interesting presentation at the public library on Saturday, March 24.  His topic centered on two national Congressmen from Florence:  Oscar dePriest and James T. Rapier.  Lee said that Dr. Bailey was highly complimentary of the history of Florence and the Shoals.

     
  4. Lee Freeman displayed a poster advertising a presentation which he will do at the public library on Sunday, April 1, at 2:00 p.m.  Its focus will be on “Mountain” Tom Clark, and its title is “Tales from Beyond the Grave: Fact and Folklore.”