Title
Conduct a Public Hearing to Consider/Discuss/Act on the Request by Doreen Christenson for Approval to Receive a Historic Marker for the House Located at 617 North Church Street.
Summary
COUNCIL GOAL: Enhance the Quality of Life in Downtown McKinney
MEETING DATE: August 6, 2015
DEPARTMENT: Planning
CONTACT: Guy R. Giersch, Historic Preservation Officer
Matt Robinson, AICP, Planning Manager
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff is recommending approval of a historic marker for 617 North Church Street.
PRIORITY RATING: This property is listed as a low priority building in the 1985 Historic Resource Survey. Low priority buildings contribute to the local history but, alterations have diminished the resource’s integrity. The building has been reclassified recently to a High Priority building. High Priority buildings contribute significantly to local history or broader historical patterns; is an outstanding or unique example of architecture, engineering or crafted design; retains a significant portion of its original character and contextual integrity; meets, in some cases, criteria for inclusion in the National Register of Historic places and/or is eligible for a Texas Historical Marker.
ITEM SUMMARY: On July 1, 2015, the applicant submitted the necessary documentation to apply for a Historic Marker for the house located at 617 North Church (also known as the McKenney - Stewart House).
The purpose of the Historic Marker Program is to encourage owners of historic properties to become actively involved in the preservation of McKinney’s historic past through the recognition of historic events, people, and architecture. The applicant has submitted a written narrative relating the history of the various families that have owned the property or resided at 617 North Church Street and the role they played in McKinney’s history.
Constructed in 1914, the McKinney - Stewart House was built as a single-story, six-room house using an eclectic blend of styles. The house is a wood-frame modified L-plan, Cotswald Style house. Also known as the Cottage Style, the two front-facing gables scale down the massing of the house. The front facing gables and recessed porch is reminiscent of dog-trot style houses.
Research did not associate this house with any particular builder but, it is quite possible that J.E. Cooper constructed the house for Paul McKenney since Mr. McKenney oversaw Mr. Cooper’s construction of the Cotton Mill and Cooper was known to have built other homes on North Church.
The house today remains virtually unchanged. There have been addition but those have been to the rear of the house and have not affected the historic façade. The siding, trim, windows, and odors are original to the house.
Historical Figures Associated with the House: (Taken from applicants report.)
The original owner, William Thornton Brooke, was a successful retail businessman in McKinney and a successful banker in Frisco. He partnered with Charles Pike Heard (brother of John S. Heard) in the grocery and mercantile business for several years (“Heard and Brooke”). After working with I. D. Newsome’s Sons & Co., he was a partner with E. A. Newsome (“Newsome and Brooke”). When the First National bank of Frisco was sold to the Collin County National Bank of McKinney in 1904, Mr. Brooke moved to Frisco to direct the daily activities of that bank as cashier. Mr. Brooke’s wife, Lina “Brownie” Franklin Abernathy Brooke, came from a well-known family, many of whom moved to McKinney and became successful. Her grandfather, Meshack Franklin, served in the US Congress representing North Carolina from 1807 to 1815. Her brother William M. Abernathy was a McKinney lawyer who helped organize St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and was the first chief of the McKinney fire department. Another brother, G. E. Abernathy was a McKinney merchant. Another brother, M. G. Abernathy, was a five-term Collin County judge. One of the Brooke’s six daughters, Francis, married John Bailey Hill. John’s father, James Wootson (Woot) Hill, was the brother of Tuck Hill, and his cousins included Frank and Jesse James.
The second owner of this house, Burr Martin, was the purchasing agent for the Dallas-Sherman interurban. He then became claim agent of the Interurban. Eventually he moved to Dallas to become Vice President and General Manager of the Texas Electric Company which was the result of the merger of the Texas Traction Company and the Southern Traction Company. The merger extended the Interurban from Dennison on the north to Waco and Corsicana on the south.
The third owner of the home was F. Henry Hartzog, who was partner and manager of the Crouch-Hartzog Company which was located on the south side of the McKinney Square. The store was known as the largest store in Collin County. In 1913, Mr. Hartzog was elected founding President of the Retail Merchants’ Association of McKinney.
The fourth owner of the home was John Jonathon “Book” Wilson, who was a successful landowner. His father, George A. Wilson, came to Collin County in 1842 and he was a brother-in-law of Gov. J. W. Throckmorton. George served as sheriff of Collin County.
The fifth owner of the home was Melvin Fain, who was Vice President of architecture at T.G.I. Friday’s, Inc. He had the original concept for the design of 50 T.G.I. Friday’s stores nationally and 50 original Dave & Buster’s Centers internationally and his projects included Spoons Café in McKinney after he left Friday’s and became an independent architect.
The sixth owner of the home is Owen Robert Mitchell, great-great-grandson of J.B. and Nancy Wilmeth, a McKinney pioneer family arriving in 1846. J. B. Wilmeth helped pick the spot for the courthouse square, was a county judge, established the first school in McKinney, and established the first church In McKinney, which became the First Christian Church.
ASSESSMENT: Staff believes that the applicant has met all of the requirements to obtain a Historic Marker under the Historic Neighborhood Improvement Zone Program (Ordinance 2013-11-110). Therefore, Staff is recommending approval of a Historic Marker for 617 North Church Street.
Under Ordinance 2013-11-110, if the HPAB approves the Marker, the applicant will be responsible for purchasing and displaying the Historic Marker.
Also, under Ordinance 2013-11-110, if the HPAB approves the Marker, the applicant may make application for a Level 1 tax exemption (100% exemption of the City’s ad valorem taxes for a period of 7 years) providing the building has architectural integrity and has been properly rehabilitated/restored and maintained.