Title
Conduct a Public Hearing to Consider/Discuss/Act on the Request by Tom Henderson, for Approval of a Historic Marker for the House Located at 620 North Church Street.
Summary
COUNCIL GOAL: Enhance the Quality of Life in McKinney
MEETING DATE: December 1, 2016
DEPARTMENT: Planning Department
CONTACT: Guy R. Giersch, Historic Preservation Officer
Samantha Pickett, Planning Manager
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff is recommending approval of a historic marker for 620 North Church Street.
PRIORITY RATING: The property is listed as a medium priority building according to the 2015 Update of the Historic Resource Survey. Medium priority buildings contribute to local history or broader historical patterns, however, reversible alterations have diminished the buildings integrity. These might include the loss or clear replacement with modern materials some of the historic windows, portions of the porch, roof materials (except as noted in Category A) or an addition that noticeably changes the perception of the building. For this priority rating these changes would need to be generally believed to be readily reversible without further loss of historic material. Any alterations should blend and not distract such that the building remains a typical example of architecture, engineering, or crafted design of the period it represents.
ITEM SUMMARY: On October 25, 2016 the applicant submitted the necessary documentation to apply for a Historic Marker for the house located at 620 North Church Street (also known as the Tom J. Cloyd, Jr. 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 620 North Church Street and the role they played in McKinney’s history.
The Tom J. Cloyd, Jr. House was designed and built by circa 1912. It is an example of a group of houses known as the American Four-Square. This style of house falls in the grouping of homes that are constructed using a square floor-pan and hipped roofs that create a pyramid. Quite often these houses have a central dormer located on the front of the house. This particular house is a one-story, wood framed house with a battered foundation, a porch that runs the entire front of the house, and an off-center entry. The wood front door with sidelights is original to the house along with the wood siding, columns, and foundation skirting. The house still has the original pine wood floors. The low pitched roof and wide eaves are a direct change in building style due to Frank Lloyd Wright’s introduction of the Prairie Style in 1893. The Prairie Style is one of the few indigenous American styles.
Historical Figures Associated with the House:
• Thomas J. Cloyd, Jr. was born in McKinney, Texas to Thomas J. Cloyd Sr. and wife Marie Louse Smith in 1882. Mary Louis Smith’s Father started Smith’s Drug Store.
• Tom Jr. worked for his uncles Clarence and Harry Smith at the drug store.
• Tom was active in the volunteer fire department and eventually earned the rank of Chief in 1908.
• In 1908 Tom left his job a Smith Drug and purchased a half interest in J.R. Coggins’ candy business. The Coggins and Cloyd Candy Company closed a few months after opening.
• In 1909 Tom joined his older brother Ben in the car business. They sold Overland autos made in Indianapolis. Later that year Tom became an agent for Radium spray, a multi-purpose cleaning fluid, insecticide, and furniture polish.
• Tom, in 1909, became a postal carrier.
• 1909 also marked the year Tom married Nina O. Harrison. She was a trimmer in a millinery shop. Using her money, Nina purchased the lot at 620 North Church and construction on the house began.
• 1912 was an eventful year. Tom stopped selling cars, he partnered with a fellow mail carrier to start a furniture repair business called Franklin & Cloyd. Tom soon resigned from the furniture repair business and took a full-time position at the new McKinney Post Office. Where he worked for the next 35 years. He died in 1961.
• In 1925 Tom’s wife Nina died. In 1930 Tom married Jewell Goggins. Tom Jewell and daughter continued to live at 620 North Church until Jewell sold the house in 1983. The Cloyd family lived in the family home for 72 years.
• Cloyd Street in McKinney is named in honor of the Cloyd Family.
• It is possible that the Cloyd home was built by W.J Higgins. Mr. Higgins constructed several Four-square Style homes in McKinney including Tom’s father’s house on 207 West Louisiana Street.
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 2015-12-105). Therefore, Staff is recommending approval of a Historic Marker for 620 North Church Street.
Under Ordinance 2015-12-105, if the HPAB approves the Marker, the applicant will be responsible for purchasing and displaying the Historic Marker.
Also, under Ordinance 2015-12-105, if the Historic Preservation Advisory Board 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. The building must have a residential use in order to qualify for the tax exemption.