Published: August 24, 2008 12:18 am            

Marking Time: Program to focus on historic designations

PALESTINE — Historical landmarks and districts will be the focus of Thursday night’s “Your Old House ... or Building” series at the Palestine Public Library.

The monthly program, held at 5:30 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month, covers a variety of aspects dealing with homes and history and is conducted by city historic preservation officer Neely Plumb.

On Thursday, Peggy Riddle of Cornerstone Heritage Preservation Services in Dallas will join Plumb to discuss the topic “What are Historic Landmarks and Historic Districts?”

Riddle has over 25 years of experience in historic preservation and cultural resources management. She has directed and managed nationally recognized projects such as the restoration and renovation of the Hall of State at Fair Park and the City of Grapevine’s Main Street and Historic Preservation Program, and is a former president of the Society of Architectural Historians, Texas chapter; a former officer and board member of Preservation Dallas; a former member of the City of Dallas Landmark Commission; a former board member of Friends of Fair Park; former co-chair of Black Dallas Remembered; and a current board member of Origins Museum and Cultural Center in Arlington.

Riddle also is working on National Register nominations for Palestine’s cemeteries, Plumb said.

The program Thursday will include information on the three types of historic landmarks and two types of historic districts, including properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks (RTHL), Palestine Landmarks, Palestine Historic Districts and National Register Historic Districts.

“This will cover what historic districts are, what the different historic designations are, how to get historical markers and the types available,” Plumb said. “You get your marker from your designation, be it local, state or national.”

The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA) created the National Register of Historic Places, which lists sites, districts, buildings, structures and objects of national, regional or local significance, Plumb said. For individually listed properties and historic districts to be listed on the National Register, a cultural resource must meet one or more of the NHPA criteria, he said.

The Texas Historical Commission administers the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark designation process, which places official Texas Historical Markers at the locations.

Palestine Historic Landmarks and Palestine Historical Districts are administered by the city’s Historic Landmarks Commission, Plumb said, and have a less stringent criteria than the NRHP and RTHL.

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Beth Foley may be contacted via e-mail at bfoley@palestineherald.com

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On the Net:

Texas Historical Commission’s page on historical markers and designations, http://www.thc.state.tx.us/markerdesigs/maddefault.shtml

        

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