Forsyth Place was the first large park created in Savannah. Stylistically, the park was influenced by the urban renewal of Paris in the nineteenth century, when broad boulevards and parks were created.
Auto Trail News
Forgotten Landmark-Old Frederick Douglass High School, Oklahoma City (OK)
Old Douglass High School, 600 N. High Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK (photo from Bing Maps Birds Eye accessed 1/21/2012)
The first African American school in OKC was founded in 1891, and would later become Douglass High (named for the famous ex-slave author and abolitionist). It has had a somewhat troubled and nomadic existence. The first location of the school suspiciously burned down, and the second location was grossly inadequate and in an unsafe, industrial neighborhood. Due to legal battles regarding city, county, and even Federal ownership of properties, it took three years to move Douglass High students into a new building. In 1934, the old “Lowell School”, a previously all-white school originally built in 1910, was expanded and became the third location of Douglass High School. With a swimming pool, auditorium, stage, and proximity to students’ neighborhood, this was a great step forward for the school’s student body.
Douglass High School was home to pillars of the Oklahoma City African American community. Examples include Zelia Breaux, the first woman ever appointed President of the Oklahoma Association of Negro Teachers, and daughter of the first President of Langston University, Inman Page; and Ralph Ellison, author of the national bestseller “Invisible Man” and one-time Vice President of ONG.
As the only African American school in OKC, Douglass High School quickly became overcrowded. A new high school was constructed in 1954, and Douglass High School became the Page-Woodson 5th Grade Center. Page-Woodson was then closed permanently in 1994 when 5th Grade Centers across the city were converted to elementary schools through a federal grant. The former Douglass High School was the only school not converted, but simply closed, and has been vacant since 1994.
For a short period of time around 2004, the non-profit organization Oklahoma City Northeast Incorporated had plans to renovate the building to be utilized for a community cultural or development center. Unfortunately, these plans fell through, and again the building sits abandoned, dangerously close to being lost, either to its own deterioration or to make way for new development.[i]
[i] Douglass High School; Preservation Oklahoma; http://www.preservationok.org/Douglass_High_School.html
Forgotten Landmark-Goodholm House, Oklahoma City (OK)
Andrew Goodholm House, 10735 NE 23rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK (Satellite image accessed from Google Maps 1/21/2012)
Construction was started in 1899 by Andrew Goodholm, one of the first millers in Oklahoma City. He was also a city councilman, builder, developer, lumber dealer and an officer of the first packing plant. Goodholm was organizer of the Acme Milling Company, an early flour mill, and headed a company that built the original Sears Roebuck & Company store which has been demolished by urban renewal. As a director of the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, Goodholm had a hand in early development of several industries in the city and state. He served two terms on the City Council.
Goodholm’s house later was acquired by another builder, the late Manzy Leon Jones, whose general construction company erected a number of residences and commercial buildings in Oklahoma City. Jones and his wife, Gracelyne, owned the house from 1955 until it was sold in 1977 to Fentriss Sound Company.
James Fentriss was eager to have the house preserved and offered it to any group which agreed to move and restore it to its original splendor. In the event there were no takers, the building was to be razed to make room for commercial development. Sandy Saunders, State Fair President, proposed moving the house to the Fairgrounds for preservation and to illustrate an example of life in the Capitol City at the turn of the century. Other uses for the house included a museum, teaching tool for children in history, and the creation of a preservation laboratory in conjunction with the Preservation Office of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The house was moved from the State Fair Park in 2008 to this location in Nicoma Park.
National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form
National Register of Historic Places, picture taken in 1982 when located at State Fair Park
Forgotten Landmark-Farmers Public Market, Oklahoma City (OK)
Built in 1928, this structure comprises a main building, occupying the center of a block, and sheds. The two-story main building, finished in three-tone buff stucco with terra-cotta colored trim, was designed by Gaylord B. Noftager in the modified Spanish style. It has an auditorium on the second floor, used for athletic events, and shops on the ground floor. Surrounding the block on three sides are steel and concrete sheds, where Oklahoma County truck gardeners had their market stalls and dealers handled vegetables shipped in from the Rio Grande Valley.
More information is available at http://www.okcfarmersmarket.com/html/about.html, including a rendering of possible future renovations.
Farmers Public Market, S. Klein Avenue and Exchange Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK (Image from Google Streetview, accessed on 1/16/2012)
Farmers Public Market, S. Klein Avenue and Exchange Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK (Image from Google Streetview, accessed on 1/16/2012)
Endangered Landmark-Greenwood House, Greensboro (AL)
Greenwood might be considered two houses in one. When attorney Sydenham Moore built the present handsome Greek-Revival residence in 1856, he incorporated materials and decorative features from an even older dwelling — the original “Greenwood” from which the house takes its name. This first Greenwood was the plantation home of Governor Israel Pickens, built on the prairies south of Greensboro. Israel Pickens was the third governor of Alabama (1821-1825). In March of 2002, the house was severely damaged by a fire Link to Gadsden Times Article. In 2009, the Alabama Historical Commission created a website to solicit offers for purchasing the house Link to Alabama Historical Commission.
Greenwood in 1978 (Alabama Historical Commission)
Greenwood facade in 2008
Greenwood in 2011 (Photo courtesy of Deep Fried Kudzu, http://www.deepfriedkudzu.com/2011/02/beautiful-homes-of-greensboro-alabama.html)
New Trails
This edition in the Historical Cities series explores the French Quarter and surrounding area of New Orleans. Simple to use maps provide make a walking tour of the city’s historic sites entertaining and educational. GPS coordinates are provided for the more tech savvy user. More than 50 sites are identified, with text backgrounds based on [...]
This edition of the Historical Cities series explores the many historical sites and landmarks of Providence, Rhode Island.Over 85 historical buildings, sites, houses, and other landmarks are described with detailed backgrounds and easy-to-use walking and driving maps. GPS coordinates are also provided for the more tech savvy traveler. Historical information is based on the American [...]
This edition in the Historical Cities series explores the colonial seaport of Newport, Rhode Island. Over 75 historical sites and landmarks are identified with historic backgrounds and maps providing easy navigation to each site, by both on foot and by car. Explore Newport’s rich colonial history with the portablility of your Amazon Kindle.
Available for the [...]