Historic Commission

Minutes of the City of Wheaton Historic Commission February 21, 2017 Meeting Held at City Hall, Wheaton, Illinois Attendance - Present: Barbara Dutton (Vice Chair), Emelie Engling, Nancy Flannery (Chair), Maureen Fogerty, Tom Kay, Steph McGrath (Secretary), Frank Principe. Meeting called to order at 7:05 pm. Public comment: Two visitors were present, Michelle Dunlap, Wheaton Bicycle Advisory Committee, and Shelly John, Commission applicant. Minutes of the January 17, 2017 meeting were approved as amended following a motion by Tom Kay, seconded by Emelie Engling, and passed unanimously. Old Business --Historic Bike Tour Map Michelle Dunlap from the city’s Bicycle Advisory Committee, a Subcommittee of the Environmental Improvement Commission, reviewed two plans for bike tours featuring historic content: parks and marked historic sites. The latter will be used for a “Wheaton History Ride” on May 20, 2017. Wheaton Cemetery was excluded as there was no safe route to get there. The city attorney drafted a waiver for participants; several suggestions and corrections were offered. Strategies for publicizing the ride including requirements were reviewed. Nancy will be the Historic Commission representative participating in the Wheaton History Ride providing historic insights, unless someone else on the Historic Commission volunteers. The alternative of having commissioners posted at each site to provide the historic insights was considered, but rejected. -Potential new commissioner, Shelly John introduced herself and shared her interests and qualifications. -Preservation Crisis updates The future of Warren L Wheaton house continues to be a concern. Several possible preservation scenarios were discussed from leaving the structure in situ, moving the structure elsewhere, and dismantling the structure and storing it until a new location is secured. The house and its history will be the focus of the Preservation Month home history research display at Wheaton Public Library this year. Creation of Save the Warren Wheaton House t-shirts or buttons was discussed. The February 14 Planning and Zoning Board meeting concerning the Jarvis Hunt Seven Gables Loretto Convent was discussed. There had been a kerfuffle over Nancy’s desire personally to videotape this meeting but it was resolved after Nancy spoke with the Public Access Counselor in Springfield. The next Planning and Zoning Board meeting will be February 28; if the Pulte plan is approved, it will then pass to the City Council. Nancy mentioned that two reports regarding the significance of the architecture, one 19 pages and one 96 pages long, that were submitted by Pulte to the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. After several requests, the 96 page report has been turned over to the public. The historic commission received mention during the Planning and Zoning Board meeting and many people voiced preferences for preservation. This issue has been publicized on the Facebook page You Know You’re From Wheaton. -Preservation Month Re this year’s theme WW1, the monument at Northside Park lists the names of 500 residents who served in WW1; of those 500, 13 men died in service. Past Historic Commissioner Bob Schuster has been compiling information about Wheaton College students who served in WW1. Some Preservation Month events have been set in place already: • May 6 – there will be a scanning event of Wheaton in WW1 memorabilia to be held at the Wheaton Public Library. We will not be collecting these items, but will make electronic copies and will have information on local, state and national organizations that do collect historic materials • May 13 – Our Pride in Preservation signs will be put up. • May 18 – there will be a reception at the Mary Lubko Center featuring the screening of WW1 propaganda movies followed by a lecture on “Wheaton’s Heroes in WW1” focusing on the 13 men who died in service. • May 20 – the Wheaton History Ride in cooperation with the Wheaton Bicycle Advisory Committee • May 20 & May 22 - home history research assistance at the Wheaton Public Library • May 21 – “Brick by Brick: Tracing Your Home’s History” lecture by Tina Beaird on home history research, to be held at the Wheaton Public Library • May 24 – “Recreating World War I” lecture by Tina Beaird on doing genealogical research on your WW1 ancestors, to be held at the Wheaton Public Library New Business -Financial report Nancy reported we are on track. -Arin Thrower emailed Nancy that she wants to start filming interviews and would like to do one on Preservation Month. Maureen and Barbara volunteered. Commissioner Comments -Frank looked at Wheaton train station for places to mount our railroad bollard sign, where we would not need to use a bollard -Steph has been working with Renee at Nameplate Tech on railroad bollard sign design New Commissioner -Shelly left the meeting and the commission discussed her application. Maureen moved we accept Shelly John to fill an opening on the commission, Barbara seconded it and the motion passed unanimously. Adjournment Emelie moved, Maureen seconded, the motion passed unanimously, and the meeting concluded at 8:50 pm. Next Meeting: Tuesday, March 21 at 7:00 pm, City Hall