Dr. Caroline B. Swope
TUSCUMBIA-The Tuscumbia Historic Preservation Commission will hear the second part of a review of historic properties that are located within the Tuscumbia National Register District on Tuesday, October 1, at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall (116 E. 6th St., Tuscumbia). The meeting is open to the public.
Dr. Caroline B. Swope, preservation consultant and principal with Kingstree Studios, a cultural resource management firm in Huntsville/Owens Crossroads, AL, was engaged through grant funding from the Alabama Historical Commission, to review the district.
During a period of several months, Swope walked the area, photographing, evaluating, and documenting the architectural styles and the conditions of all properties. The district was last reviewed in the 1980’s when Tuscumbia was a Main Street City. Since that time, Swope says, the district has changed quite a bit. Many buildings which were not old enough at that time to be considered contributing structures, now qualify as significant to the character of Tuscumbia’s Historic District, including houses built in the mid-20th century. Conversely, some of the oldest buildings, many dating to the early to mid-19th century have now either deteriorated or have been lost.
Information shows, across the board, property values increase in areas where protective covenants exist. A sense of community pride is often enhanced, when a town’s citizens have a greater understanding of the value of preserving the historic character of neighborhoods. It has been shown that cities that value their history are desirable places to live and to operate businesses, particularly small, independent businesses that are the base livelihood of communities.
Through the process of review and protection, the City of Tuscumbia is a Certified Local Government, a designation that opens the door for grants and other incentives and provides for preservation of one of Alabama’s most historic cities.
