"Historic Church Street" Signs: A Farce
New signs have been appearing around Church Street in Vienna. The signs seem to be everywhere and all point in the general direction of "Historic Church Street". What does that mean exactly? Does that mean the new building that just replaced Vienna's first fire department is "historic"? Or maybe the new brick sidewalks are "historic"? Perhaps the caboose brought in during the 1980s, that is "historic"? Is the brand new Vienna Presbyterian Church "historic"? Is the new building that houses Nielsen’s Frozen Custard "historic"? The auto-parts store, that is "historic"? Maybe, the building on the corner of Church and Center Street set for demolition at any moment, that must be "historic"?
Of course, Church Street is not historic. Nothing on the Street, except maybe the Freeman Store, is even remotely "historic". And the Freeman Store is not on any historical registers, nor is it in a historic district. Why all the wordsmithing with the word "historic"? That ladies and gentleman is how Vienna Town Council Member Maud Robinson operates. The truth doesn't matter to her. She wants to pretend Church Street is historic, so she will do and say everything that makes the ruse stick. Why does Robinson spend so much time creating "fake" historicity in Vienna?
Comments
This whole Historic Vienna, Inc. business seems to be a farce... an exclusive garden club hobby operating out of its Freeman Store clubhouse at Town expense. Who owns the Freeman Store property? Is this Town property? If so, how come only club members can meet there? And what does this club do besides sell crafts, display old stuff, and walk around their backyard "historic district"? What historic properties has this club identified and preserved since 1975... the Moorefield home that consumed countless manhours and tax payer dollars before being demolished? Nice work, Historic Vienna, Inc.! Do Town employees maintain the exclusive Freeman Store clubhouse? What does Historic Vienna, Inc. do with the non-profit funds they raise while operating off the good grace of Town tax payers? Where are their financial statements? How come their is no substantive content about Vienna history on their website... it's been 30 years... where's the preservation?... where's the history?... a death notice?... anything at all? Why are they using Town of Vienna e-mail addresses? Why are my tax dollars paying to support their IT overhead if they are an exclusive paying-members-only club? A historic district that has virtually no identified history, an exclusive club operating at Town expense... it's all as if someone is trying to fabricate a historic Vienna that never really existed. This all smells like someone's crafts project and small-town cronyism and and it's time to clean it up. Town government should get back to the basic functions of government and leave the garden club historical societies to the private sector.
Posted by: Town Resident | March 22, 2006 03:18 PM
"First and foremost, our entire operation is centered in and around the Town owned Freeman House property. We could not begin to provide even the current level of programs and activities, including the operation of the store, were it not for the financial commitment of the Town and the maintenance, support and services provided by Town employees, particularly those in Parks and Recreation."
Laine Hyde
Letter to Jane Seeman, Jan. 14, 2003
Posted by: Town of Vienna | March 24, 2006 01:38 PM