NEWS ROOM

April 2006 Newsletter

Cass County Conservancy
Volume 3, Issue 1 April 2006

New Visionary Award Introduced
The Cass County Conservancy Visionary Award was developed to recognize an individual, organization, business, project or event that has been instrumental in the preservation, conservation or promotion of historical resources within Cass County. A major goal in creating the award is to work with Chambers of Commerce in Cass County to present this new award within the framework of existing awards events for accomplishments particular to that Chambers service area. Recipients to date have been Mr. Mayo Kasling III and the First National Bank of Hughes Springs and the Cass County Genealogical Society, each being recognized for a vast legacy based on the preservation and retention of local heritage, history, structures and customs. Two additional awards will be presented in 2006.

Annual Membership Meeting
Conservancy members in attendance at the annual Membership meeting in January approved four candidates for new terms of three years each-George Fite, Ruth Halleck, Judy Lanier and Anita Walker. Welcome to Dr. Walker who is new to the board, lives in Avinger and teaches at Centenary College.

School Selected for Texas Most Endangered List
Atlantas Miller Grade School was selected to be included in the 2006 List of Texas Most Endangered Historic Places. The announcement was made by Preservation Texas in February on the steps of the Texas State Capitol building. Several sites recognized by Preservation Texas in past years have benefited from inclusion on the list of Texas Most Endangered Historic Places through energized conservation efforts, commitments for restoration, and additional funding. Through its Endangered List, Preservation Texas is working in tandem with the Texas Historical Commission's (THC) Historic Endangered Landmarks Program (HELP), which identifies, tracks and publicizes endangered historic properties in Texas. The THC maintains a statewide database of identified properties that can be used to direct assistance to the historic properties that most need it. If you know of an endangered historic property in your community, please complete and submit an Endangered Historic Property Identification Form that can be downloaded from the THC Web site at www.thc.state.tx.us. For more information on Texas' Most Endangered Historic Places phone Preservation Texas, Inc. at 512-472-0102 or visit www.preservationtexas.org .

Rehabilitation Programs in Cass County
Two communities in Cass County are sponsoring Façade Rehabilitation Programs to assist property owners in their historic commercial districts. Hughes Springs and Atlanta have each designed programs to educate and financially aid in the appropriate restoration and renovation of storefronts in keeping with the period of the property or setting. These public-private partnerships are key in returning underused properties to service as well as saving historic properties from demolition and replacement by new, less aesthetically pleasing buildings.

Consider the National Register of Historic Places
Owners of historical properties in Cass County may find benefit in pursuing recognition of that property by existing national and state programs. The first steps are to document the propertys history and then contact the Cass County Historical Commission for further assistance. In addition to the historical recognition available through the Texas Historical Commission, recognition is available through the National Register of Historic Places which is the Nation's official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect our historic and archeological resources. Properties listed in the Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. The National Register is administered by the National Park Service which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Local sites included in the Register are the Cass County Courthouse, the Powell House in Queen City and the Pleasant Hill Rosenwald School outside of Linden. Other historic sites considering recognition in the Register are the New Antioch Church near Linden and the Atlanta Miller Grade School.
Join Now
Membership dues are $20.00 per year, and individuals may join the Conservancy at any time by mailing dues to The Cass County Conservancy, P.O. Box 682, Atlanta, Texas 75551. Phone: 903.796.8811.

ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO JOIN THE CONSERVANCYTOGETHER WE CAN DO GREAT THINGS FOR PRESERVATION IN CASS COUNTY

About Our Organization
The Conservancys mission is
to preserve and to encourage the preservation of local heritage resources, historic structures, archeological sites, objects, and customs relating to the history and natural beauty of Cass County, and all that is admirable and distinctive in our county area;
to educate the public with a celebratory knowledge of the inherited regional values; to keep the unique history, folklore, charm, and natural beauty of Cass County legible, intact, and usefully employed, that they may continue to enrich the community life.

The Cass County Conservancy is a section 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization
(Posted: 2007-02-12)

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