City Hall

Last Thursday members of Milam County’s press were invited to a key ceremony at the old city hall where the keys to the building were transferred from the city of Rockdale to Collier Perry, managing director of the Vision Historic Preservation Foundation who will be raising money to preserve the building and take it back to its original 1895 glory.

Milam County’s beautiful and talented First Lady, Lynn Forney Young, who is also the chairman of the Milam County Historic Commission, gave some remarks about the importance of preserving historic buildings.

“It gives us a sense of being connected to something much larger than ourselves. Historic preservation provides a link to the roots of the community and its people,” Young said.

Studies show that culturally a community is richer for having the tangible presence of past eras and historic styles. It helps keep communities beautiful, vibrant, and livable, and gives people a stake in their surroundings. It connects people with their past, and with one another. You see, old buildings attract people. The unique architecture and quirky features make an old building more interesting than a new one. A city needs old buildings to maintain a sense of heritage and permanence.

Socially a community benefits when citizens take pride in its history and mutual concern for the protection of the historic building fabric.

Developmentally a community benefits from having a concerted and well-defined planning approach for the protection of historic buildings while accommodating healthy growth.

Environmentally a community benefits when historic buildings are restored or rehabilitated rather than demolished and disposed of in the community landfill.

Educationally a community benefits through teaching local heritage and the understanding of the past and the resultant cultural respect by its citizens. History is a great educator and knowing the history of a community and its historical sites fosters an individual’s sense of belonging and community pride.

“The city of Rockdale will benefit greatly from the cultural, developmental, social, educational, economic and environmental value of a fully restored Old City Hall. The thousands of people who travel this road every month will know that Rockdale is not only proud of its past, but it is looking forward to the future,” said Young.

The Reporter salutes the Perrys and this fine organization for having a forward vision while keeping an eye on our past.—K.W.C.