Monday, December 17, 2007

Preserving History

A small group of Auburn residents have some big ideas for the future of the community’s historic structures.

February 18, 2007

A small group of Auburn residents have some big ideas for the future of the community’s historic structures.

For about three months, a group of 10 citizens have been meeting to discuss historic preservation in Auburn. As a result of the weekly meetings, the Auburn Preservation League was formed.

Dr. Bobby B. Dees, a graduate of Auburn University, spearheaded the initiative.

“I’ve wrestled with the idea of a preservation league for the last year,“ Dees said. “I’ve always been open on the premise that you can get anything accomplished by sitting down with others in a reasonable manner to come to conclusions.“

Since his return to The Loveliest Village a little more than three years ago, Dees has been restoring older homes that some may have thought were lost historic treasures.

He agreed to lead the group if, and only if, they wanted to pursue the preservation of Auburn in a positive light.

“As citizens we want to be able to sit down with the City, contractors, developers or other concerned citizens and see what we can provide to carry on Auburn history,“ Dees said. “We want to see the City have policies to ensure the future development. Growth is good, but it needs to be in an organized direction so that 100 years from now we can look back and remember homes that were built in the 1920s, 1940s or 1970s.“

Dees believes that there is no better time than now for the preservation league to form and take positive steps forward to conserve Auburn’s historic structures.

“I’ve talked to hundreds of people to see what I could initiate and people are ready for something to happen to preserve Auburn structures,“ Dees said. “I could either turn a deaf ear and watch it all go away or do something about it.“

With a positive focus, the Auburn Preservation League was created, designed to promote a constructive, proactive effort by private citizens toward preserving Auburn’s remaining historic structures and sites.

“The purpose of the Auburn Preservation League is to foster historic preservation and to promote cooperation in combining the resources of local government, associations, organizations, business and citizens in order to enhance the quality and beauty of the Auburn community,“ states the association’s mission statement.

“With the demolition of so many of Auburn’s homes and buildings, the timing for the creation of an Auburn Preservation League is perfect,“ Dees said. “Auburn is fortunate to have the expertise of its citizens in many areas. The university, local government, businesses, organization, both civic and church, students, as well as others, have the knowledge needed to foster historic preservation through this, across the board, positive, ‘team’ approach.“

The APL is sponsoring a membership reception Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., in the Auburn Chamber of Commerce EAMC Briefing Center, 714 E. Glenn Ave. The APL is extending invitations to anyone wanting more information and/or anyone interested in becoming a charter member.

“It is the hope of the APL pioneers that everyone will join us in keeping Auburn ‘The Loveliest Village on the Plains,’ “ concluded Dees.

For more information, contact the APL at P.O. Box 2945, Auburn, AL, 36831-2945.