Preserving Findlay's past

Talk a walk in Findlay's downtown north of the Main Street bridge, and many of the city's historic buildings are gone. Lost to time, neglect or flood. Downtown Findlay was designated as a national historic district and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, but since that time the city has lost 60 historic sites because the title doesn't come with any preservation rules. On Thursday, a public forum is scheduled to discuss historic preservation in the city. The forum will be held at 6 p.m. at the Findlay Municipal Building, 318 Dorney Plaza. The event is being sponsored by the Hancock Historical Museum and the Hancock Regional Planning Commission. "This spring, our museum has fielded many inquiries about the concept of historic preservation. Recent threats to historic buildings and homes in the city have made it a topic of public debate, and I think that's a good thing," said Sarah Sisser, executive director of the Hancock Historical Museum. Sisser is referring to demolition planned for several homes along East Hardin Street, owned by the Findlay YMCA, to make way for the construction of their new facility. Earlier this year, the "John Engleman House," located at 404 E. Lincoln St. and now owned by the YMCA, and a home owned by Michael and Kathleen Tharp, at 320 E. Hardin St., were both identified by the Ohio Historic Preservation Office as being significant enough to be considered eligible for the National Register of Historic Places through a Section 106 review. Section 106 reviews identify and protect "historically significant resources" from being negatively impacted by the use of federal funds. At the time of the review, the YMCA was seeking a grant from the city of Findlay's federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, but later withdrew the request. The Engleman House is believed to be the oldest structure still standing in its original location in Findlay. It was the site of the first Catholic Mass in the city, performed by Bishop John Purcell in 1840 during a missionary trip through the area. Officials from the YMCA have said the Engleman House will be incorporated into its long-term plans. So far, the YMCA's plans for the house have not been made public. The Tharp residence predates the U.S. Civil War. "Thoughtful discourse on the topic is long overdue," Sisser said. "For any organized preservation effort to be successful, it really needs to be driven by the community. If, as a community, we decide to prioritize historic preservation, there are changes that can be made at the local level. But first, we have to understand what we're debating." She said communities like Perrysburg, Bowling Green, Van Wert and Lima have already taken the necessary steps to prioritize historic preservation in their redevelopment efforts. All of these communities are "certified local governments," which in preservation circles means these cities have local rules and processes for protecting historic sites. "Our community does not currently have any of the mechanisms in place to make historic preservation a priority, or consideration, in our growth and redevelopment, steps like the passage of a local historic preservation ordinance, the designation of a local historic district, or the adoption of design guidelines," she said. The forum will feature guest speakers Matt Wiederhold, executive director of Heritage Ohio, and Nathan Bevil, community planning and preservation manager for the Ohio History Connection. Sisser said both organizations have worked with hundreds of communities in the state to protect historic resources and to use preservation as a tool for economic development. The speakers will address what can be done and why it's important, Sisser said. There also will be time to ask questions. "I think some people may hear the term 'historic preservation' and think of restoring a historic house to a specific period of time, maybe turning it into a museum," she said. Sisser said that concept is "rigid and static," and can hinder progress. "In actuality, prioritizing the adaptive reuse of historic buildings and preserving the unique sense of place found in historic downtowns has been phenomenally successful in generating new investment, incubating small businesses, and creating cultural heritage tourism. Historic preservation is economic development," she said. For example, Sisser said Ohio's state historic preservation tax credit program, run through the Department of Development, has approved nearly 600 projects to rehabilitate more than 800 historic buildings in 82 different Ohio communities. The program is estimated to have leveraged more than $8.27 billion in private development funding and federal tax credits directly through rehabilitation projects. "That is the kind of information I hope people take away from this forum, to think about and discuss with their neighbors. It will help us to better understand how we want our community to look, feel and function going forward," she said.