"Smyrna is working with a local church to move an old historical schoolhouse to grounds near the Smyrna Library. Some folks might recall the old "Tipperary" school house near Division Street. A small and very simple one room schoolhouse. Kudos to the city and the church for preserving it and making it more visible close to the Library."This is very interesting. Nothing online or in the papers.
Our mission is to be a useful resource for the city of Smyrna, TN and surrounding areas.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Saving our past
This was posted on the "Smyrna" facebook page.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
While preserving the early Smyrna Schoolhouse is commendable I feel that we are being robbed of yet another piece of Smyrna history. The house that now stands at 111 Division St was built around the turn of the 20th century by Dr. B.B. Gracy according to "A History of The Town of Smyrna, Tenn" by Walter King Hoover. Mr Hoover is quoted saying, "Not to know what was before you were, is to be always a child." I ponder his words as I envision a parking lot where the "Gracy" house once stood at 111 Division St. The Smyrna Church of Christ stands to gain 75 or so parking spaces for their growing congregation but at what cost to our community? Will the "Gracy" house become, like so many before it, just a picture in Mr. Hoover's book? Are we but mere children as Mr Hoover alludes?
You say where the Gracy house "once stood". has it been moved?
Drop me an email please I'd like to hear more information on this subject from you and I will respect your privacy.
The house still stands for now at 111 Division St. The old historic schoolhouse that is being moved is attached to the back of this house. It is my understanding that the Smyrna Church of Christ intends to donate the schoolhouse to the Town, tear down the 2-story front portion of the home and pave the lot that remains to increase their parking capacity. Is a parking lot worth more to us than a hundred-plus year-old structure? I cannot fault the Church. They are trying to run a business. They feel the need for more parking. As a lifelong citizen of this Town I fault myself and my fellow townspeople for our shortsightedness. Would Historic Zoning preserve such a structure for future generations? Is our past not worth saving?
It is sad if they indeed plan to tear down the front portion of the house. We are losing more and more history everyday.
Post a Comment