Local history topic for county meeting

<b>By Libby Cluett</b><br><a href="mailto:lcluett@mineralwellsindex.com">lcluett@mineralwellsindex.com</a>

PALO PINTO – Modernizing, updating and resurrecting the past seemed to be themes weaving through parts of Monday's meeting of Palo Pinto County Commissioners.

Architect Charlie Kearns, a principal with Wiginton Hooker Jeffry Architects, addressed ways for commissioners to approach work on the Palo Pinto Annex, the old stone building catty-corner from the courthouse.

Commissioners called on Kearns to work with the county on a non-competitive contract basis. He said he would send them his hourly rates “and [they could] go from there.”

He told commissioners there are several options and almost “too many variables,” but the decision they need to address is “how much money do you want to spend.”

Kearns reported that the building's mechanical system appears to be in good shape, although he suggests moving the air handler. He added that some accessibility issues include needing to add ramps and make modifications to the front entrance and restrooms to bring the building into compliance.

Instead of having Kearns draw up plans and go out for bid for contractors, the architect suggested for this project to be “design-build.” He said this means he, as the designer, would overlap working with commissioners and a general contractor to come up with the design and construction pricing.

Kearns said the county could select a general contractor for pre-construction services based on qualifications, past project history and work with an architect. Prect. 4 Commissioner Jeff Fryer emphasized that commissioners would like to use a local general contractor.

The county might have a role in parts of the project, such as using prison trusties for demolition where needed.

Also on Monday's agenda, commissioners approved for the Palo Pinto County Historical Commission to inspect and make a list of objects in the old Palo Pinto Café, west of the courthouse. Like the Palo Pinto Annex, the old café is a building recently purchased by the county. The building has several decorative items in each room as well as in the attic. County Judge Mike Smiddy said PPCHC might want some of these items for display at the Old Jail Museum.

PPCHC member Barbara Upham told commissioners that Jimmy Walker has been in touch with the regional authority of the Christian Church, also known as Disciples of Christ. She said they might be interested in donating the historic First Christian Church in Palo Pinto to the county “to preserve for religious and historical purposes.”

Members of the PPCHC recommended that, if the church authority approves donating the building, that the county take possession and then lease it back tthe Palo Pinto County Historical Association. This would be similar to the lease between the county and the PPCHA for the Old Jail Museum complex.

Commissioners also discussed maintenance and this Saturday's event, which includes a visit to the historical Simpson Crawford cemetery, northwest of Oran.

In 1886, this one-acre cemetery on private land was given to the county judge and each presiding judge. According to PPCHC's Mike Lewis, the cemetery has a gravestone for one woman who was born in 1772. He said the cemetery was in “bad shape … after 10 to 15 years of disrepair.”

Cindy Lewis said she and her husband, Mike, worked with Jon Johnson, Upham, Bob Dempsey and Precinct 2 Commissioner Ed Laney and his crew to clean up the site.

On Saturday, the PPCHC will include a visit to the cemetery for family members after it rededicates two historical markers, which were stolen from the rest area on State Highway 254, three miles east of Graford. The markers honor two early Palo Pinto County settlers, Simpson Crawford and Alfred Lane, who both served as Texas Rangers.

The rededication takes place at the rest stop at 11 a.m. After the ceremony and refreshments, the PPCHC will take family members and others to the cemetery in a surrey loaned by Rex Mansell.

“The deed states that the road [to the cemetery] will be maintained for wagons and horses, so it seems appropriate that we are going in on a surrey,” said Cindy Lewis.

Mike Lewis added that there are several bad spots in the private road leading to the cemetery. Commissioner Laney said he could run a road grader on the road and “it wouldn't take half a day.”

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