Priority Property Asset Report, Shawnee, Ohio

Sunday Creek Associates; KKG Studios; Benjamin D. Rickey & Co

This report includes assessments and suggested reuse options for 11 historic resources in Shawnee, Ohio: Original Town Hall & Garage; Shawnee Town Hall; Harigle Garage; Tecumseh Theater; Knights of Labor Hall, Hannah Bros. Furniture; Anna Hughes Properties; Sunday Creek Assoc. Storefront; Shawnee Village Restaurant & Laundromat; Double R Bar; Tecumseh Commons Park (Prototype Interpretive Site); Backtrack to Main St. (Greenspace). From introduction: "The Shawnee Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 in recognition of its importance as a unique physical reminder of the Coal Boom Era in the Hocking Valley Coal Fields between 1870 and 1920. Since that National Register listing, further study has shown that Shawnee is of national and not just local importance among the historic resources of the bituminous coalfields of the eastern United States... However, even with the losses it has endured, the Shawnee Historic District retains a high level of integrity with distinctive architecture that tells a compelling story of the Coal Boom era. The community's problems are far outweighed by its many strengths and a growing list of successes. Growing also has been the appreciation of and confidence in the value of the Historic District. It is increasingly viewed as a living district, not a museum, with real economic assets. The old image of the coalfield region (and of Appalachian Ohio generally) as an area with only needs is fast disappearing... Looking forward, Shawnee sees opportunities to initiate new or continue existing heritage-based efforts to bring economic opportunity to the region. As the built environment is restored to occupancy and the stories of the region are interpreted for visitors the number of businesses operating and the number of visitors increases. Local capacity to promote and host quality events is growing with experience and the development of local expertise. This results in a "re-imaging" of the community and the region as a place that contributes to the larger culture through its provocative stories, lessons learned from the boom-to-bust-to recovery experience here, its recovering environment, and a community's response to nearly a century of disinvestment. Shawnee will be the heart and soul of much of this future effort, as it has been for so much of what has already been accomplished. It will take time; only a careful, thoughtful, incremental approach can work. There will still be losses, but these will be more than outweighed by the successes yet to come. The plans and assessments included in this document will help guide future work by identifying productive next steps and opportunities." Funding was provided in part by a 2010 Preserve America grant to the Village of Shawnee (grant number 39-10-AP-5018) for the project Shawnee as a Destination: Priority Property Asset Plan. The grant was administered by the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Preserve America is a federal initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy our priceless cultural and natural heritage. The goals of the program include a greater shared knowledge about the nation's past, strengthened regional identities and local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country's cultural and natural heritage assets, and support for the economic vitality of our communities.

Priority Property Asset Report, Shawnee, Ohio

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