The Enfield Economic Development and Revitalization Commission (EEDRC), working with the Town of Enfield, has taken the first formal step toward establishing a historic district in downtown Enfield. The EEDRC has contracted with Heather Slane to conduct the survey and develop the application for the Historic Register Nomination. Slane has worked with the State Historic Preservation office on many key historic districts for Tabor City Commercial Historic District, Columbus County, the Fountain Historic District, Pitt County, Little River High School, Durham County (with Cheri Szcodronski) and the West Martin School, Martin County (with Cheri Szcodronski). She will now be compiling Enfield’s history to prepare it for designation with the National Register.
Designation of historic neighborhoods or communities is a successful tool for maintaining a quality of life and providing economic security. Preservation has proven to stabilize property values and stimulate new investment in neighborhoods and towns.
Historic preservation encourages and enables the use and reuse of historic buildings, which adds significantly to a community’s distinctiveness, personality and diversity. Listing in the National Register allows for the use of federal and state income tax credits toward the rehabilitation of properties within the National Register boundary. While rehabilitation projects seeking to utilize the tax credits require review by the State Historic Preservation Office and the National Park Service, property owners not seeking the tax credit have no restrictions placed on the use or alteration of their property.
Numerous fund raisers to support EEDRC’s historic designation will be held in the upcoming year. The next big fund-raising effort is a raffle being held in June-July 2019. If you would like to support EEDRC's efforts and buy raffle tickets, call Gerry Middleton at 252-955-4855. The March 30 Denim & Diamonds Gala was a huge success - with more than 200 people attending the event.
From Left: Brenda Greene, EEDRC Recording Secretary, Montre Freeman, Enfield Town Administrator, Heather Slane, NC-Preservation-Approved Nomination Writer, Gerry Middleton, EEDRC Executive Director, Mayor Wayne Anderson and Dorothy Clark, Treasurer (Paul Barna, Assistant Director, and Clementine Silver, Financial Secretary, not present.)
