HERITAGE PRESERVATION, INC.

Minutes of Meeting, 7-26-04

 

Those present:  Betty Champion, Mary Peck, Iva McClure, Jim Ingrum, Hester Cope, Charlotte Dean, Jerry Dowd, Bill McDonald, Lee Freeman, Billy Warren, Nancy Muse

 

  1. Item #5 of the minutes of the 6-28-04 meeting states that the Florence City Council gave $8,500 toward the restoration project in the Florence City Cemetery.  The correct amount is $7,500.  With that change, Bill McDonald made the motion that the minutes be approved.  Charlotte Dean seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

     
  2. Billy Warren made the following treasurer's report:
    1. Checking Account balance:                   $7,151.57
    2. Forks of Cypress Account balance:         3,223.38  +  11.40

       
  3. Everyone who attended Camille Bowman's seminar (Thursday, July 15) on preservation/conservation of gravestones, markers and outdoor statuary agreed that it was an outstanding event.  Especially interesting was the walk-through of one section of the cemetery on Friday morning, July 16, led by Camille.  Billy Warren circulated a copy of the very lengthy article about the seminar and walk-through written by Cathy Myers and published in the Sunday, July 25, issue of the Times-Daily.  He also distributed copies of an order form shared by Camille; he encouraged everyone to check any documents on the order form that they might like to have (all are free) and to mail the completed form to the Alabama Historical Commission.  Lee Freeman noted that Ralph Wallace videotaped the seminar and that the Local History/Genealogy Room at the public library is scheduled to receive a copy of the video.  It is possible that a showing might be scheduled at the library for anyone who might not have attended the seminar.

     

Betty Champion received hearty applause for hosting Camille Bowman at her beautiful home on Wood Avenue.

 

  1. Billy warren reported that he had a conversation with the technician at MPL Video in Memphis (the same company that duplicates the VHS version of "Follow the River") regarding the duplication of a DVD version.  The technician made a master (at a cost of approximately $300) and is creating 100 copies in DVD format.  They will be packaged in a clear plastic case.  As soon as they arrive, Jerry Dowd will distribute quantities to Kennedy-Douglass Art Center, Pope's Tavern and the Florence Main Street Office.  Before they leave his office, Billy Warren will affix a sticker on each stating that the DVD might not work on older-model DVD players.

     
  2. Hester Cope reminded the group of the light breakfast for Saturday, August 7, 9:00 a.m. in Wilson Park.  These Board members volunteered to assist Hester in picking up items needed for the breakfast and delivering them to Wilson Park:  Iva McClure, Betty Champion, Charlotte Dean, Mary Peck.  Hester stated that letters of invitation to historic district residents will be mailed on Thursday, July 29.

     
  3. Lee Freeman reported that the 16th Family History Fair in Collinwood, Tennessee, was interesting and informative.  Such a fair might be an interesting event for HPI to promote at some point.

     
  4. Billy Warren distributed copies of a letter which he wrote to Elisabeth South, director of the public library, on July 2, 2004.  With the letter, HPI officially transmitted a copy of Bertha Klenova's 400-page memoirs to the library.

     
  5. Jerry Dowd reported that officials with Alabama Public Television (APT) stated that the video, "Follow the River," is too regional to be aired on statewide television.  (They did compliment the video on both content and technical quality.)  However, they turned it over to the daytime educational division of APT, stating that it would be appropriate for that division's continuing programs on Alabama history.  Hester Cope volunteered to make a follow-up call to APT officials to try to convince them that the video is appropriate for any viewer of APT.

     
  6. Hester Cope:
    1. Reported that Smokehouse Billiards is almost ready to reopen following its extensive restoration; and
    2. Reported that Marcus Thompson is to appear before the City Zoning Board in early August in preparation for his construction of three buildings directly across the street from the Post Office.

       
  7. Nancy Muse reviewed briefly the success of Smart Growth I, a public forum held at the Florence Event Center in early 2003.  She described the contents of and recognized some of the consultants for Smart Growth II, which will be held on Monday, November 8, at the Florence Event Center Keynote Room.  She asked that HPI host a walking tour and a reception for the event on Sunday, November 7.  Bill McDonald made the motion that HPI host a walking tour and a reception on Sunday, November 7.  Charlotte Dean seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

     
  8. Bill McDonald stated that Bob Torbert needs larger, homemade-type bricks for some of the repair work at the Florence City Cemetery.  Lee Freeman volunteered to call Al Hausmann, a possible source for such oversized bricks.

     
  9. Charlotte Dean received rousing applause for her excellent work in photographing the 13 houses in the Seminary-O'Neal Historic District.  Billy Warren reported that he has sent the photographs, via the disk provided by Charlotte, to Vince Brewton for posting on HPI's web site.

     
  10. Lee Freeman:
    1. Reported some progress toward solving the mystery surrounding the artist Mattie Dube who was born in Florence in 1861 (but he still hasn't discovered her maiden name);
    2. Circulated a picture of "Uncle" Reuben Patterson, a local African-American who was a bugler in the 5th Alabama Regiment during the Civil War; and
    3. Presented HPI with a copy of a map created by the Natchez Trace Genealogical Society which shows the locations of 48 African-American cemeteries known to exist in Lauderdale County.

       
  11. Nancy Muse invited everyone to attend a meeting at the public library on Tuesday, July 27, at 5:00 p.m.  It will focus on renewable energy, and the speaker will be a person from the Office of Renewable Energy at TVA.

     
  12. Billy Warren distributed copies of an e-mail from Jackie Tipper in which she encourages attendance at a seminar entitled "Americans Saving American Places:  Joining Forces for the Southeast."  (It is billed as a Southeast Regional Summit.)  The seminar is scheduled for July 29-30 at the Radisson Hotel in Birmingham.

     
  13. Lee Freeman encouraged everyone to attend the workshop entitled "Completing the Circle," a seminar on African-American genealogy.  It will beheld at the public library on Thursday, July 29, from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

     
  14. Billy Warren distributed copies of an article on the history of Armstead Chapel, an African-American church located on Chisholm Road.  It appeared in the Times-Daily on July 10, 2004.