Officials attempt to land downtown Fort Scott on the Historic Register

Thursday, August 7, 2008
A small portion of downtown Fort Scott which consists of numerous local businesses and residences. Submitted Photo

By Rayma Silvers

The Fort Scott Tribune

The downtown portion of Fort Scott could be placed on the Historic Register in the near future.

At 6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 26, area residents are invited to attend an informational meeting about the process of nominating Fort Scott's downtown area to be placed on the historic register.

According to Fort Scott Economic Development Director Dale Bunn, Dale Nimz, an architectural and environmental history consultant, has been selected by the city and the Kansas State Historical Preservation Office to prepare the nomination for the downtown to be place on the historic register.

At the meeting, which will be conducted at the Carriage House, on the corner of Third and Main streets, Nimz will explain the nomination procedures and answer any questions area residents have regarding the process.

Nimz will create documentation about nearly 100 buildings in the downtown area. Bunn said Nimz's job is to research, write and prepare a National Register District Nomination. The process, which should be completed in March of 2009, will require Nimz to survey and inventory buildings; take photos for documentation; and prepare a document describing each building's architectural integrity.

About 30 to 60 days after the nomination has been submitted, Bunn said the city should find out if the downtown area will be added to the register. If the downtown area is added to the historic register, the local area will see economic benefits. For instance, buildings, which have historic character could qualify for tax credits of up to 45 percent of the cost of improvements made to the building, according to Bunn.

Bunn said after the fire in the downtown area claimed several historic buildings, the city began thinking more about the need to preserve the downtown area.

"The fire made us understand what we had," Bunn said. "We need to improve and renew the downtown area, as an economic benefit for the community."

According to Bunn, local residents Connie Banwart, Becky Mann and Kate Emmett-Sweetser have already completed a great amount of documentation for the proposal. The three women will be working closely with Nimz when he begins his research.

Nimz was chosen to help complete the nomination process because of his extensive experience in historical preservation. The Kansas State Historical Preservation Office certified Nimz as a preservation consultant. In addition, he completed a doctorate program in US history at the University of Kansas and earned a masters in historic preservation from George Washington University in Washington D.C.

Nimz has helped prepare historic register nominations for Alma, Kan. and Independence Kan., and has completed the process for many individual structures such as houses, hotels and businesses throughout Kansas, according to Bunn.

An additional meeting will be conducted at a later date, Bunn said.