Town gathers for Preservation Week
Historic Zoning Commission Chairman and history enthusiast Jimmy Haley admits a lot of history has been lost with the demolition of the Morford House or the old drug store on Main Street, but has a philosophy about preserving local history nevertheless.
“We’ve had a lot of history destroyed this year. Anything we can do to bring it to people’s attention that the past is worth saving, then we’re all the better off. McMinnville can’t afford to lose much more,” he said.
Preservation Week, celebrated locally in conjunction with the national celebration, is not a page-turner by any stretch of the imagination. But it speaks of efforts of historic groups trying to hold on to some of the nostalgia of the town.
It started almost three years ago under the organization of Main Street McMinnville Director Dan Gray, who was hired by the historical group Heritage Alliance just before Main Street was formed into a non-profit organization.
The national Main Street center is a branch of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and having a week specifically dedicated to preservation is their marketing tool to increase awareness, he said.
As a natural offshoot of the national event, Gray, with the help of those associated with Heritage Alliance and others, brought the awareness to a community level.
The event has been celebrated throughout this week, with everything from a scavenger hunt to local preservation awards for restoration and upkeep of both public and private property, and culminates with events held downtown tomorrow.
A tour of the Park Theater, library offerings and recognition of area high school art students and elementary school children who raised money and awareness to restore the downtown statue Hebe are some of those events.
“We’ve always had a big turnout and a big response,” Haley said. “I think people like to reminisce and relive some of the memories of the past. There were more simple times – whether its a photograph or a memory of the Park Theater or something that happened as a child – I think they like reminiscing about childhood memories.”
A part of Gray’s job has been to create. The scavenger hunt, a challenging competition that asks participants to identify architectural aspects of historic buildings and that can stupefy even the most knowledgeable, has been a success. Last year, almost 300 people participated.
“A lot of times, they don’t realize these details,” Gray said. “They just walk right past them.”
Other offerings have been photographic displays about what the town used to look like and open houses of restored homes. This year, people may take interest in the old Park Theater, which will be open for tours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow.
“The Preservation Day tours are a wonderful opportunity for the community to get look at the Park,” said Park Theatre Group chair Pam Pallas. “We welcome all those who want to feel a bit of nostalgia, to remember what the Park once was and to dream with us about what it can be. Information will be available about joining the Park Theatre Group and making donations to the renovation project.”
Gray sees all of it as progress. As previously announced, he will return to his native England at the end of the month, but plans to come back in a few years to examine major structural progress in the downtown area as a whole when and if it occurs.
But for this week, he is one who looks at the downtown area with an appreciative set of eyes, and knows what’s there is worth keeping. The national theme for Preservation Week is “Preserving the Spirit of Place,” and that’s all anyone has really wanted to do.
“You won’t see anything unique out on the strip,” said Gray. “That could be Anyplace, USA. I think it’s important for communities, especially small communities, to maintain what makes them unique.”
What makes McMinnville’s downtown any different from any other downtown?
“It’s the way, over time, that certain neighborhoods have evolved. There are buildings from 175 years ago, like the Black House. And they tell the story of your community,” Gray added.
Remaining Preservation Week Events
• Art reception featuring renditions of historic statue Hebe, Law offices of Farrar, Holliman and Medley, 6:30-8 p.m. tonight, art on sale
• Mini Standard’s Hebe art and essay display, AAUW art display, Magness Library, tomorrow, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• 15th annual May Day celebration, The Black House tomorrow, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Park Theater tours, downtown tomorrow, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Armed Forces Day, downtown tomorrow, 10 a.m.
• Hebe Ceremony w/ sponsors Mini Standard and Heritage Alliance, featuring how much raised locally in conjunction with area schools, downtown tomorrow, 11 a.m.
• Scavenger hunt continues through May 28.