Losing Landmarks

Minden recently saw the demolition of Fuller’s Garage, the first auto repair shop in Minden, built during the years of World War I. I received a Facebook message from Tony Mullins at Sarepta High School telling me that the days of the old building at Sarepta are numbered. That building is either the last or the next to last of the schools built by E. S. Richardson during his massive building campaign for Webster Parish Schools between 1921 and 1930. (Y’all will have to help me out with Shongaloo. I honestly can’t remember if they took down the old building and my vehicle has been ill and I couldn’t risk being stranded up in Wiseville, so I didn’t go check.)

I am not a “wild-eyed” preservationist. I fully recognize the right of private property owners to make choices about their own property. I am also a realist and know that in this current climate where government is viewed as the enemy and taxes are considered bad, no matter their usage, by so many, the day of ever saving any old public buildings has probably ended. Still, it doesn’t hurt to mention at times that old landmarks are important and if they can be saved, it is of value to our community to preserve them when possible.

We’ve seen examples of both here in Minden. I think many people recognize that it would probably have been a wiser – a very expensive, but wiser – decision to save the 1905 Webster Parish Courthouse. We ended up destroying it for a street that is largely a traffic hazard and while I wouldn’t call that old building beautiful, it was unique, the round courtroom under the cupola in particular. It also was the scene of so much local history, serving as both the Courthouse and in later years the Minden City Hall.

On the other hand, Citizens Bank did a magnificent job of restoring and saving the old Bank of Webster Building in downtown Minden. I hope the same thing may eventually happen to the other two old bank buildings left in downtown. The Old First National Bank, which is probably better known as Vivian’s to most of my generation and today houses a beauty shop (my apologies for not knowing the name of the current business), and the old Bank of Minden with the green tile facade and the clock. I know that a couple of Tourism Commission members are Facebook friends of mine and they may wander over this direction, so just a brief message to you. I certainly don’t want to inject any MORE strife into your dealings, and also don’t want to infringe on the property rights of the Crawford family or their future plans for the building. But, if it does ever become available, that building needs to be a tourism office in the heart of downtown. The green tile and the clock are among the first things that catch the eye of visitors. I do so hope that one day the McCullough Tower Clock will be restored to working order. That’s an expensive project, but one I hope the public will someday embrace, even if the building remains private property.

What I really wanted to say is, as we lose some landmarks to the inevitable ravages of time and benefits of progress, let’s be mindful of ways we can save some of the familiar structures that have been part of our communities for decades.