(Photo courtesy of Village of Garden City historian Bill Bellmer)
As an advocate of historic preservation, I was saddened to see the home at 104 Sixth St. demolished this week. For many generations, people have moved to Garden City because of its charm, its history and its uniqueness. If the Garden City community continues to see homes and structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, demolished, we all, as that community, will lose the distinctive character and quality that distinguishes Garden City. Let’s turn a discerning eye to instances that are eroding our sense of place. Let’s re-capture the vision of Alexander Stewart and create for ourselves a community that is aware of its historic structures and all that they bring to strengthening our sense of community and maintaining our property values. In this year when our nation celebrates the 50th anniversary of the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, let’s be reminded that the preservation of our heritage is in our public interest, and collectively, we benefit from living in a village with such a significant history.
—Maureen Traxler Dellacona
