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Historic Preservation Commission

Orange County · Historic Preservation Commission
Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Regular meeting Historic preservationPublic facilitiesCivil rights and nondiscrimination

Agenda document Minutes Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Approved 3Approval of Minutes for August 28, 2024 Approved

Read from the agenda's recorded outcomes. Where the board published minutes, those are the record — this is a pointer to them.

What's on this agenda

Orange County's Historic Preservation Commission met to rework how it scores properties for local landmark status. It also weighed a memorial marker for an enslaved burial ground at Blackwood Farm Park and reviewed architects competing for the county's Old Courthouse preservation project.

The agenda also called for approving the 2025 meeting calendar and August's minutes, plus updates on a lynching memorial for the courthouse square, a log-restoration project and the county's in-progress local history book.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The commission welcomed two new members, Carol Ann Lewald and Eric Deetz, then approved August's minutes and its 2025 meeting calendar without objection. Most of the meeting went to revising the landmark evaluation form. Members agreed to drop the scoring categories for National Register status and building age, which staff said favor century-old, already-listed properties over historic sites tied to underrepresented communities. Staff will draft a single significance category covering historical, architectural and environmental criteria instead.

Members also heard plans for a memorial marker at the enslaved burial ground in Blackwood Farm Park, proposed jointly with the county's Human Relations Commission, and reviewed five firms competing to lead preservation work on the Old Courthouse; interviews are set for November 21. Staff reported a lynching memorial for the courthouse square, delayed past its planned November unveiling; a project to restore historic log structures with salvaged white oak; and continued work on the county's local history book.

Speaking at this meeting

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Jump to an item (15 on this agenda)
  1. 1Call to Order
  2. 2Changes or Additions to Agenda
  3. 3Approval of Minutes for August 28, 2024
  4. 4.aApproval of HPC meeting calendar for 2025
  5. 5.aLandmark Evaluation Form revisions
  6. 5.bMemorial marker for enslaved burial ground at Blackwood Farm Park
  7. 5.cOld Courthouse Preservation Project architect selection
  8. 5.dField trip: observations and ideas
  9. 6.aPreservation NC Annual Conference highlights
  10. 6.bLynching memorial marker on Courthouse Square
  11. 6.cLog restoration project progress
  12. 6.dAmerica 250 NC update
  13. 6.eBook project update
  14. 6.fOpen air time
  15. 7Adjournment

Agenda items (15)

Procedural · 5Staff or committee report · 5Discussion item · 4Minutes approval · 1
  1. 1 Call to Order
    Procedural
    Chair Art Menius called the meeting to order at 6:33 p.m. and welcomed new members Carol Ann Lewald and Eric Deetz.
  2. 2 Changes or Additions to Agenda
    Procedural
    Staff added approval of the 2025 meeting calendar to the agenda.
  3. 3 Approval of Minutes for August 28, 2024
    Minutes approval
    The commission approved its August 28 meeting minutes.
    Approved
  4. 4.a Approval of HPC meeting calendar for 2025
    Procedural
    The commission approved a draft 2025 meeting calendar after discussion.
    Approved
  5. 5.a Landmark Evaluation Form revisions
    Discussion item Historic preservation
    Staff proposed dropping the landmark scoring categories for National Register status and building age, saying they disadvantage historic sites tied to underrepresented communities. The commission agreed to consolidate its criteria into one expanded significance category and asked staff to draft new wording.
  6. 5.b Memorial marker for enslaved burial ground at Blackwood Farm Park
    Discussion item Historic preservation
    The county's Human Relations Commission proposed partnering with the HPC on a memorial marker for the burial ground for enslaved people at Blackwood Farm Park. Two commission members volunteered to help with the project.
  7. 5.c Old Courthouse Preservation Project architect selection
    Discussion item Historic preservationPublic facilities
    The county received five proposals from architecture firms for preservation work on the historic courthouse and courthouse square. Interviews are set for November 21, with a contract targeted this fall.
  8. 5.d Field trip: observations and ideas
    Discussion item Historic preservation
    Members toured a historic house with stone foundations and archaeological features, plus nearby railroad bridges, and discussed how to help the owner document the site and how to record the bridges before eventual safety upgrades alter them.
  9. 6.a Preservation NC Annual Conference highlights
    Staff or committee report Historic preservation
    Staff summarized sessions from the statewide conference, including one on the challenges of abandoned and overlooked Black burial grounds.
  10. 6.b Lynching memorial marker on Courthouse Square
    Staff or committee report Civil rights and nondiscriminationHistoric preservation
    A marker commemorating five documented lynchings in the county since 1869 remains in the works. Fabrication has been delayed past its planned early-November date.
  11. 6.c Log restoration project progress
    Staff or committee report Historic preservationPublic facilities
    The county continues sourcing white oak logs to restore historic log structures, including the barn housing the Davis Cotton Gin. A local carpenter will salvage logs donated from a log house near White Cross that is slated for demolition.
  12. 6.d America 250 NC update
    Staff or committee report Historic preservation
    No new updates were shared. County tourism staff continue coordinating semiquincentennial activities with Hillsborough and Chapel Hill organizations.
  13. 6.e Book project update
    Staff or committee report Historic preservation
    The county's local-history book project continues, with a production consultant editing the manuscript and photos ahead of the design phase.
  14. 6.f Open air time
    Procedural
    No topics were presented.
  15. 7 Adjournment
    Procedural
    The meeting adjourned at 8:23 p.m.

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