Idaho Mountain Express: Hailey pursues historic preservation

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Hailey pursues historic preservation

Effort could add 2 buildings to national registry

By TONY EVANS
Express Staff Writer

The historic Baptist Community Church could soon join 12 other buildings in Hailey on the National Register of Historic Places. Photo by David N. Seelig

Hailey’s efforts to protect its many historic buildings will continue, despite budget constraints.

The City Council voted earlier this month to dedicate $1,500 to help get two more buildings in town onto the National Historical Registry.

There are 12 buildings in Hailey already on the registry, including the Old County Courthouse, Hailey Hotel and the St. Charles and Emmanuel Episcopal churches, and the childhood home of poet Ezra Pound.

Once a building is on the registry, its owner can become eligible for grants that can be used for preservation of the buildings, said Hailey Historic Preservation Commissioner Joan Davies.

“It’s a way of recognizing great buildings that have been a part of our community,” Davies said.

The Episcopal Church Thrift Store on the corner of Bullion Street and First Avenue is one of the buildings under consideration. It originally served as the Hailey Assay Office, where ore from mines was examined for the content of valuable metals during the mining era. The building was used as the Hailey Public Library until the late 1970s.

The building housing the Episcopal Church Thrift Store could also join 12 other buildings in Hailey on the National Register of Historic Places.

The second building under consideration is the Baptist Community Church on the corner of Second Avenue and Croy Street. Originally built by Methodists, whose congregation moved to Fairfield many years ago, the church is in need of painting, Davies said.

“It has carillon bells, donated by Lula and Joe Fuld, who also donated a collection of political buttons to the Blaine County Historical Museum,” she said. “Joe was quite the man-about-town during his day.”

The City Council authorized the funding at the last public hearing on the city’s 2013 budget on Aug. 20.

The money will be used with matching funds from the Idaho Historical Preservation Commission and volunteer hours from the Hailey community to pursue a grant to complete research required for a nomination to the national registry.

Tony Evans: tevans@mtexpress.com
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