HCHPC set plan for 2019

The Henry County Historic Preservation Commission gave its annual report out to the Henry County Board of Supervisors, highlighting activities during year 2018 and outlining its goals for year 2019. Seven of the nine Commissioners were able to attend the Supervisors meeting.

The Commission also held its regularly scheduled monthly meeting at the Henry Co Emergency Management center. On the agenda was an update on the Wayland/Jefferson Twp national registry project where the Hulme house on Franklin Road passed the state level and is being reviewed by the National Park Service. The Methodist Church in Wayland has recently been deemed eligible but further research is required. Several other sites are eligible and an HRDP grant will be applied for to fund the nominations.

The Commission discussed recruiting new members and has a goal of having at least one commmisioner from each community.

The abandoned railroads project will continue through the year with the end product being a map on the county historic preservation web page and tri-fold maps to be available at the small museums in the county.

Twenty-one years ago, historian Don Young inventoried 24 country schoolhouse buildings remaining in the county, most of which were converted to homes and farm buildings. The Commission is considering updating the inventory and it was noted that several have been demolished during the last twenty years.

The next Commission meeting will be Wednesday, March 20, at the Henry Co. Courthouse at 1 p.m. with the public invited.