Community and economical growth starts with caring about your community’s future. Brian Davis, Executive Director of the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation along with Just Imagine SWLA held a public seminar, “Just Imagine 101: Understanding Historic Preservation” on Tuesday, Sept. 1, in Lake Charles.
This free community event explored historic preservation, local culture and how preserving the places that tell our story can help reshape Southwest Louisiana’s future.
Following the presentation, participants were asked to step outside in Downtown Lake Charlesto observe historic preservation concepts in action.
Vance Perkins and Amy Mueller Clark attended the event with interest in preserving a building recently acquired by Perkins, the Hammons Building, located in Downtown DeQuincy (formerly Perkins Drug Store).
Last week’s DeQuincy News contained a letter to the editor written by Perkins which explained the progress of the building’s preservation after the City of DeQuincy’s Council voted in favor of removing the building from the condemnation list.
Clark explained she has been in contact with Davis and is helping Perkins with the initiative to save this Circa 1900 building that has a “treasure trove” of history to tell if only the walls could talk.
To date application has been made to place the building on the National Register of Historic Places and The Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation has helped with this process and has accepted the application as the building meets all the requirements.
Although there are other initiatives in the works, Perkins and Clark were excited to meet Davis, a mentor who has been facilitating their endeavor.
They expressed their desire to improve Downtown DeQuincy as well as preserve history.
