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Spring 2020
Preserving small town charm Historic preservation officer protects Fredericksburg’s architectural history By Samuel Sutton
S
ince the 1980’s, the City of Fredericksburg’s Historic Review Board has worked to preserve the town’s notable properties. From historic homes misidentified as “low importance” to neglected buildings, this board has used a Historic District to help bring these properties out of disrepair. “The city’s Historic Review Board has been placed to review all applications for exterior changes in the Historic District and really are there to protect the historic resources in the district,” said Anna Hudson, the City of Fredericksburg’s Historic Preservation Officer. If a landowner in the Historic District wishes to make any changes to the exterior of his or her building, a Certificate of Appropriateness application must be filed. The board will then review what types of alterations are being requested. Hudson Depending on the type of alteration and the rating of the property, the alteration could either be approved immediately through Hudson’s office or have to
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be approved by a board vote. “If it’s an 1880’s limestone house versus something from the 1960’s, we look at those buildings a little differently,” Hudson said. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Certificates of Appropriateness can be submitted via email to ahudson@fbgtx.org. Applications can be found at https://www.fbgtx.org/DocumentCenter/ View/3218/CofA-2020-fillable. Success stories The Historic Review Board has helped protect several properties from neglect. For example, a “hidden gem” on Creek Street was misidentified in a 2003 survey as a “low-rated structure.” “An owner in town discovered it and said, ‘Wow, there’s an old log cabin in here,’” Hudson recalled. “We were able to rerate that and we let the owner do some additions.” After it was rerated and the cabin was restored, Hudson said the house now tells its story better. Another example Hudson mentioned was a building at 411 E. Main Street. It had been neglected for so long that it nearly fell into demolition. Using the “Demolish by Neglect” ordinance, the Historic Review Board was able to stabilize the property. Through more mainte-
