HomeMy WebLinkAboutHPC minutes 032818 Attachment 1
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Orange County
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Meeting Summary
March 28th, 2018
Old Orange County Courthouse
106 W. King Street, Hillsborough
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MEMBERS PRESENT: Todd Dickinson, Bob Ireland, Tom Loter, Art Menius, Steve Peck
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Peter Sandbeck GUESTS: Paul Noe and Martin Yeager
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ITEM #1: CALL TO ORDER
Chair Dickinson called the meeting to order at 6:33 pm. He recognized our guest and
prospective new member Paul Noe. Mr. Noe and members introduced themselves. Martin
Yeager, UNC grad student, joined the meeting and introduced himself.
ITEM #2: CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA: Ireland requested time to discuss his idea for
creating an ongoing educational program that combined active restoration work with
educational programming.
ITEM #3: APPROVAL OF MINUTES for February 28, 2018 (Attachment 1): Dickinson moved to
approve the minutes, seconded by Menius; motion approved.
ITEM #4: ITEMS FOR DECISION: None
ITEM #5: DISCUSSION ITEMS
a. Completion of Outside Agency Grant Applications:
Members discussed the final scoring for the applications from the Historic Hillsborough
Commission (Burwell School), and from the Historical Foundation of Hillsborough and
Orange County (Orange County Museum). Discussion followed. W hy do these two
important history institutions have to go through all these hoops each year when they
could be included as a line item in the county budget. This just creates an annual
unpredictability for their budgets and planning. There continue to be issues with the
quality, accuracy and usefulness of the submittals. Staff will compile the final results and
submit on March 29th. Staff will include the comments with our scoring sheets.
b. Archaeological discoveries on the Dickson House property:
Staff provided a PowerPoint presentation showing several interesting wood artifacts now
exposed on the east bank of Still House Creek, between the Dickson House and the Post
Office. These might relate to the 18th and 19th century distilling operations that took place
on that lot. These are old oak, and extend for at about 60 feet along that east bank. A free
black named Africa Parker operated the distilling operation there. These appear to be on
Post Office property, so there may be a federal involvement. Staff will share photos with
UNC Archaeologist Steve Davis or with John Mintz, the State Archaeologist to get their
reactions and recommendations as to how to protect these and learn more about them.
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c. Harvey’s Chapel Cemetery project:
Chair Dickinson and staff presented an overview of the historic cemetery and old church
site of Harvey’s Chapel, located west of Moorefields Road, adjacent to the boundaries of
the County’s Seven Mile Creek Preserve. This church was featured in the links from UNC
student Rachel Cotterman that I shared. The congregation purchased the land in the
1880s, established a cemetery and built a small frame church there. The County ceased
maintaining the small dirt road leading there, forcing the congregation to abandon this site
and move to Dimmock’s Mill Road, where they built their present church in 1938. There
are perhaps 8-10 elderly members, so they are looking for a way to preserve the old
cemetery and hope the county can help. We found the outline of the old church foundation
(28’ long by 16’ wide, with the foundation of some sort of small front entry porch. There
was evidence of perhaps 150 burials in the cemetery. Members expressed their support
for having the County acquire the cemetery and church site as part of the Preserve.
d. Courthouse Square Preservation Project:
No new developments, so this will be postponed until the next meeting.
e. Bob Ireland’s Idea for a working preservation/education program
Ireland outlined a program to combine preservation work and education. For example if
the privy at the Burwell School needs brickwork restoration. We could seek grants to fund
what he calls “a living restoration” of that structure. We could find grant money to two
things: restore the brickwork and also educational videos, photos etc. of the work being
done to create programs. So the educational program is a way to help get the grants.
Through that educational project, the actual work gets done too. It would be available all
over, on TV or devices, maybe a live feed, or a class that comes to watch the work in
person. Discussion followed. There was general agreement that this was a good concept
and worth pursuing. Bob can work on grant applications. He will write up a draft proposal
for members to review. Staff noted that the Covington Foundation in Greensboro might be
a good source of funding, for instance to stabilize the deteriorating iconic log houses.
f. Historic Preservation Month: Activities at Blackwood Farm; social media campaign,
and historic brickwork restoration workshop at Norwood Law Office:
Staff gave an update on Preservation Month. First, the Blackwood Farm event, coming up
on Thursday, May 3. We will discuss details at our April meeting, then meet out there at
the farm to map out how to set everything up. Members Peck, Ireland and Dickinson
volunteered to participate. Members discussed adding a traditional or old time musician to
the program. Menius is willing to handle the logistics of the social media campaign,
provided someone else provides content. Staff and members will assist. The Alliance is
interested in co-sponsoring a hands-on brickwork repointing workshop, to be held at the
Norwood-Jones Law Office. Local expert Wayne Thompson will be doing repointing work
on the building during May. He offered to teach a workshop as an educational program for
local residents. This would be a scheduled event, with the Alliance handling registration
etc. for us. We will share the date. The Alliance wants to do another round of
“preservation conversations,” one each week during May. Staff will do one of these.
ITEM #6: UPDATES AND INFORMATION ITEMS
a. Book project status:
Staff provided a brief update on the progress. Our editor/author Laura Phillips is almost
finished with her Phase I assessment for the final text. Once we get that report, the Book
Committee will reconvene to review this and move forward to get the actual writing
underway by May. Staff requested $25,000 in county funds for the book project. Staff
submitted another application to the State Historic Preservation Office for $5,000 for a
CLG grant application. Staff appeared before the Alliance board just before this meeting to
make a presentation about our book project. They considered our request for $25,000 and
approved that. The Alliance will ultimately take over the project and handle sales.
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b. Old Eno Cemetery:
No new developments on this.
c. Piedmont Regional CLG Training Workshop:
The State Historic Preservation Office will be holding a regional workshop for all
commission members and staff, to be held in Chapel Hill on May 18th. Peck, Loter and
Dickinson all expressed interest in attending.
d. Other county project updates:
None.
e. Open Air Time for members to share information
No items tonight.
ITEM #7: ADJOURNMENT: Loter moved to adjourn, seconded by Menius; meeting adjourned at
8:22 pm
Meeting summary by Peter Sandbeck, DEAPR staff