Item 3D Report
Southlake Historical Society
Report to City Council April 6 2010
Good evening. My name is Connie Cooley, and I am the first vice president of the Southlake
Historical Society.
On behalf of our group, I thank you for honoring us tonight.
The purpose of the Southlake Historical Society is to
We believe that the spirit and direction of Southlake today is founded upon and reflected in its
history. And yes, there is history is Southlake, from the Lonesome Dove Baptist Church,
founded in the 1840s and from which author Larry McMurtry got the name for his famous
book, to the much-loved Dragon football tradition.
We believe that the historical and cultural foundations of Southlake should be preserved as a
living part of our community. We are proud to be a community partner with the city, and
pleased that you, our city leaders, have recognized the ability of history to give residents, many
of whom are relative newcomers, a sense of place.
As a community partner, our group would be remiss if we did not mention to you tonight the
fragile future of the only historic public building in our city the 1919 Carroll School which
field, which now serves as a lacrosse field.
Unless the CISD school board members, along with city leaders and the community at large
work together to form a task force and explore ways to save it, this historic building is in danger
of being lost.
We know that nothing replaces the real thing in teaching children and families what our past
was like and in our high-quality community, nothing should.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, along with the Meadows Fund for Historic
Schools and the Texas Historical Commission have all recognized this building for its
significance to the North Texas area.
Can the building be reused as a museum, or as a demonstration and sales site for green
technology, or as meeting or office space, or for some purpose that ha
We take advantage of this evening to say to you, our partners, that NOW is the time to work on
this. NOW is the time to gather ideas and make use of generous federal tax credits that would
apply for the reuse of a historic building such as this one. NOW is the time to make Southlake
residents know that the 1919 Carroll School exists and that it is on the endangered building list.
our book, Images
of America: Southlake
support of this book and urge everyone to buy a copy, either here tonight, or at
www.southlakehistory.org. All monies go 100% toward historical society projects including
signage that meet the standards of the American Association for State and Local History for the
Southlake Log House in Bicentennial Park as well as planning activities for young and old at
the log house, which will begin this summer.
Southlake Historical Society
- Report to City Council - 4/06/2010 - Page 1 of 2
We also are working to archive items that have been given to us; collect oral histories;
investigate sites of potential historical interest; and present great speakers and programs, such as
on the history of Dragon football, behind-the-scenes at the Smiths
American History, Civil War soldiers who lived and died in our area, and more.
website www.southlakehistory.org.
Thank you, council members and city staff, for your continued support, for this special
recognition, and for the opportunity to address you tonight.
Staff Contact:
Kerry McGeath, Deputy Director Community Services
817 748 8384
Southlake Historical Society
- Report to City Council - 4/06/2010 - Page 2 of 2