The Bailey house still stands, at least as of earlier this week.
I hope it stays that way for awhile, and folks find a way to restore it. Looking at the county reports about it, it’s clear it’s unique, pretty much the last of its kind in the area.
But whatever eventually happens, I’m glad to have helped spread the word about the historic house’s imminent peril.
It was a last ditch effort by Sam Moraco to save the house that led him to contact us at the News, and many have responded, commented, and shared our story and postings about it.
Clarkston teacher Jeff Peariso came out with a great plan that has hopefully put a pause on the demolition project’s momentum.
He wants to teach construction-tech students how to restore a historic house by actually restoring a historic house. This seems to be an idea worth serious consideration.
I’m grateful for that and the other interest so far, and confident county officials will be more than willing to hear and consider any idea to preserve the house.
Preservation is big in this town.
Clarkston is a city because of it. It has a Historic District Commission to make sure work on vintage buildings are historically consistent, including the building I work in, which was built in the 1870s.
It’s why the brick used in this year’s restoration work on 5 S. Main Street are all more than 100 years old, recovered from old buildings in Detroit. And it’s why the mortar is correct to the 19th-century period.
People don’t want to see history destroyed. I found it especially telling, when going over county parks meeting minutes and reports.
One option considered for the house was burning it as training for local firefighters. This was recommended against because it would project “a negative image to the public due to the very visible destruction of a familiar landmark and present potential environmental risks from smoke and release of toxic materials to the atmosphere.”
Regular demolition would avoid the smoke, but it would still present a very visible destruction of the familiar landmark. I would make sure of that.