Tag Archives: Columbia

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June 9, 10, 11, 2013 festival features historic music of J.W. “Blind” Boone era

On June 9, 10, and 11, 2013, you’ll be able to hear history with the music from the era of J.W. “Blind” Boone, who lived at the historic home at 10 N. Fourth St., which is currently being considered for interior renovations.

The “Blind” Boone Early Jazz and Ragtime Festival tickets are on sale now and tickets can be purchased here. Performances are in the historic and recently renovated Missouri Theatre on Ninth Street in Columbia, Missouri. In addition to separate concert prices, there is a basic two-day pass for $100 and a three-day pass for $150, for four events and six events, respectively.

The concerts are a short walk from Boone’s historic home at 10 N. Fourth Street, which has had its exterior renovated, but awaits further improvements.

The concerts are sponsored by the J.W. “Blind” Boone Foundation. For more information, see http://www.concertseries.org/event/blind-boone-early-jazz-ragtime-festival/

This year, the event includes The Launch as well as a Ragtime Bash, with proceeds from these two events slated to fund future “Blind” Boone Early Jazz and Ragtime Festivals.

Why is this concert series important? J.W. “Blind” Boone, the child of a run-away slave and U.S. Union bugler, lived from 1864-1927 and played and composed ragtime music, as well as classical music. Many say he was the first person to bring popular, ragtime tunes to the concert stage, and his motto, despite being blind and African-American during a trying time, was “Merit, not sympathy, wins.”

Here’s the schedule for the 2013 Blind Boone Ragtime & Early Jazz Festival.

Sunday, June 9, 2013

4 p.m. — The Launch, Silent Film – $5 (or free with a Ragtime Bash ticket). Silent Film with Dennis James at the Organ and Frederick Hodges at the Piano

6 p.m. The Ragtime Bash! – $50 (includes a ticket for The Launch, Silent Film)

Monday, June 10, 2013

4 p.m. — The Young Turks Concert- $23

7:30 p.m. — A Tribute to Johnny Maddox – $33

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

5:30 p.m. – Piano and Organ Extravaganza – $23

7:30 p.m. – Sweet and Hot Duets – $33

 

For more information, see concertseries.org, or call 573-882-3781.

 

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Changes to demolition permits pondered

With 2012 seeing the loss of the Annie Fisher house (circa 1920s) and several other older dwellings, the Columbia Planning and zoning Commission is considering changing the time period for demolition requests and the nomination process to historic preservation districts.

Read the Sept. 22, 2012 Columbia Tribune article, “Panel working on a new demolition, historic preservation rules.”

http://m.columbiatribune.com/news/2012/sep/22/panel-working-on-new-demolition-historic/

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$1 billion in economic activity generated by historic preservation

Tax credits, including tax credits for historic preservation, have come under fire from time to time.

However, a recent newspaper article on historic preservation states, “Preserving historic buildings over the past decade has, directly and indirectly, accounted for more than $1 billion in economic activity in Columbia and helped to create thousands of jobs…”

The Sept. 4, 2012 article in the Columbia Daily Tribune by Andrew Denney outlined the results of a report conducted by Developing Strategies, a St. Louis consulting firm.

The report is titled: Economic Impact of Historic Preservation in Columbia, Missouri. You can find it at: http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Council/Commissions/downloadfile.php?id=6304

The report was sponsored by the Columbia Historic Preservation Commission, funded in part by the City of Columbia and a grant from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Historic Preservation Office.

So why do a study on the economic effect of historic preservation? Because it is hard to measure the importance and value of historic buildings. No one can measure the value of a masterpiece, and so measuring the economic activity generated by historic preservation provides one way to measure the value of Columbia’s buildings, masterpieces in a way.

The report includes a wealth of information and one of the most valuable bits of information is on page 45 — a listing of historic tax credit projects and the expenditures for the projects. Tax credits have come under fire, but people often fail to notice things of importance about such programs. First, money must be spent before a firm or individual can receive a tax credit. Second, in order to qualify for the tax credit, the person or firm must conduct the preservation to the set standards, standards that can be more expensive than simple renovations. Finally, it is a tax credit — that means the person or firm receives part of the taxes paid credited. It does not mean they receive money or funding, it is simply credit on taxes already paid. The company or person has to spend a great deal of money beyond the taxes credited.

The list notes that a total of $80 million was spent on various projects — and $15 million in tax credits were awarded. This means a company or person spent at least $80 million, while the state simply credited or forgave a portion of the firm’s or individual’s taxes for a total of $15 million. No money was given away, some taxes were simply credited.

Take a look at the report yourself and see what you think of tax credits for historic preservation.

You can also read the newspaper articles about it including two editorials, one of which is clearly against the use of tax credits.

Personally, I think historic preservation makes sense. The home of Annie Fisher, Columbia’s first black entrepreneur, was recently demolished and the land will likely be used for apartments. While the owners of the land have the right to do what they like with the land, the loss of the history is priceless. No where else can you point to a house and say that’s where a former slave built a catering company that drew people from throughout the county, where a woman with no education built a restaurant reputed to include place settings for more than 1,000, and a woman once owned by another person was honored at a state fair for the work of her hands, beaten biscuits. It’s hard to get inspiration from yet another apartment building.

And while many people will drive a long distance to see a historic building such as Mt. Vernon or Monticello, I’ve never once heard of anyone driving a long way to see a new apartment building.

Annie Fisher’s rise from obscure to entrepreneur might have seemed to some impossible; just as saving her home ultimately came to be, but perhaps tax credits can make the possible much more likely.

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2012/sep/06/historic/

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2012/sep/04/study-looks-at-economic-effects-of-historic/

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2012/sep/16/preservation-studys-author-not-unbiased/

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See inside 704 Westmount the peanut brittle house

The home at 704 Westmount is up for sale, giving curious folks like me an opportunity to peek inside. Here‘s the House of Brokers’ virtual tour of the home, which is priced at $689,000.

So why does the headline mention peanut brittle? Three homes were built in 1907 in Columbia that carry that descriptive name for the outside surface of the house. Those homes are at 504, 608 and 704 Westmount Avenue were named to the Notable Properties List of Columbia’s Historic Preservation Commission in 2001.

An article written by Jim Muench in the February/March 2006 issue of Columbia Home & Lifestyle describes the home.

The article titled, “The Pebbled Pickett Home,” outlined the construction process of the home as well provides information on the owner 608 Westmount Avenue home and builder of the unusual threesome of houses with their distinctive look.

The exterior of the home was built by pouring concrete into a form over a layer of river rock and sand. The rock and pebbles were, the article notes, ” hauled up from local streambeds by wagons and mule teams.”

The builder of the homes, Curtis was a native of New England, the article notes. Curtis was a professor at the University of Missouri. Curtis was a professor of zoology and dean of the College of Arts and Science. Today, a building on the University of Missouri campus is named after him — it is not in the peanut brittle style. In 2010, the Curtis Building housed Agronomy, a Plant Sciences Unit and USDA Agriculture Research.

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Money matters: Meeting on benefits of historic preservation

A billion, with a B. That’s how much historic preservation in Missouri contributes to the state’s gross state product  according to a 2002 by the Center for Urban Policy Research, Rutgers University.

Now, the city of Columbia is inviting the public to look over a study designed to tabulate how much local historic preservation benefits the city’s economy.

At 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1, 2012, Columbia’s Historic Preservation Commission will hold a public meeting about a study on the economic impact of historic preservation in Columbia, Missouri. The draft executive summary is available online here.

The meeting will be held in rooms 1A and 1B of City Hall at 701 E. Broadway in Columbia.

The draft executive summary includes a table that indicates $79.94 million has been reinvested in historic properties in Columbia since 2002, helping to support an estimated 800 jobs in the city as a result.

This research is being conducted in partnership with a Historic Preservation Fund Grant from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Historic Preservation Office.

Here’s a link to a Columbia Tribune article on the upcoming meeting.

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Demolition Delay Efforts

This report by KOMU notes that Columbia’s Historic Preservation Commission can’t prohibit the demolition of buildings by property owners — but they can delay approving the demolition permit in the hopes of finding a way to work with the building owner and saving a historic structure.

The report quotes Brian Treece, HPC chair, as saying delaying a demolition would also allow fair notice to all concerned about upcoming demolitions.

While the report also notes demolitions are down from last year, it also acknowledges the loss of the Annie Fisher home at 2911 Old 63. The house was used for a catering business founded by Fisher, one of the first African-American woman entrepreneurs in Boone County.

http://www.komu.com/news/columbia-historic-commission-to-save-valued-homes/

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May 5 concert gives history buffs a two-fer experience

On May 5, 2012, history buffs will be given a two-fold historic opportunity, according to this article by Bill Clark in the Columbia Daily Tribune.

A three-hour concert (!) will be held in the Second Baptist Church at 407 E. Broadway, to benefit the renovation of the John William “Blind” Boone home, which is within sight of the church. The event starts at 1 p.m. and the tickets for the concert performance by Sutu Forte will cost $10 for adults; $5 for students and free for children younger than 12.

Both the Boone home and the Second Baptist Church were named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The Boone home was placed on Columbia’s Notable Properties List as well.

The Boone home at 10 N. Fourth St., once housed ragtime great John W. “Blind” Boone. He played throughout the country playing what was then a new and lively style of music. He lived in Columbia until his death in 1927. By then, his career of touring to play ragtime music was on the wane, due to several factors including the 1916 death of his most effective manager, John Lange, and the advent of the radio, phonographs and automobile travel.

The Second Missionary Baptist Church was founded in 1866 and the building featuring Romanesque and Gothic styles was built in 1894, according to the church’s website. According to the website, the church construction was funded in part by John Lange, Boone’s manager and Boone, as well as by Judge John Stewart, for whom Stewart Road is named.

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New life at Guitar Mansion, 2815 Oakland Gravel Road

By either name, Guitar Mansion or Confederate Hill, the house at 2815 Oakland Gravel Road is seeing new life as a single-family home once again. Planned for use as a bed and breakfast at one time, in 2010, the house was purchased and has been returned to its original use as a single-family home.

See the house as it gets a needed spruce up at this link to a Jan. 3, 2012 Columbia Missourian article.

As a bonus, the article online includes a link to the Register of Historic Places document, which includes a historical account of the home, historical maps and photographs.

http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2012/01/03/living-history-historic-guitar-mansion-2815-n-oakland-gravel-road-residential-home-again-first-time-almost-15-years/

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10 N. Fourth Street – Concert of J.W. “Blind” Boone

10 N. Fourth St., is a historic home, once the home of J.W. “Blind” Boone, a blind, black pianist who against all odds was a nationally known musician. He lived from 1864-1927. His home is slated to become a museum.

According a notice on the blog of University Avenue Bed & Breakfast at 1315 University Avenue,  a Blind Boone Holiday Concert will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 4, 2011 in the Second Baptist Church in Columbia.

The notice states the concert will feature Tom Andes playing ‘Blind’ Boone’s music, the CPS 5th grade honor choir, Celestine Hayes, and Linda Dodd singing holiday music and music by ‘Blind’ Boone. The event, the notice states, is sponsored by The ‘Blind’ Boone Heritage Foundation.