The Cottonwood Historic Preservation Commission was established by the City Council in 2010 with the goal of looking at the identification, evaluation, protection, preservation and enhancement of historic properties that have significance for the city of Cottonwood.
Since then, the city has placed two buildings of historic importance on its official historic register.
One is the old jail, at one end of Main Street in Old Town before the curve toward Clarkdale.
The other is the old Cottonwood Civic Center, also in Old Town.
The commission recently reached an important milestone.
“In January 2014 it became a certified local government program, which really just gives us some legitimacy,” said Ryan Bigelow, who sits on the commission.
The commission is planning on submitting its first report to the State Historic Preservation Office.
The report will outline things that the commission has achieved, like November’s historic home tour.
The tour involved historic homes, all within a two-mile distance of Old Town.
“We feel that it was very successful,” Bigelow said.
All proceeds from ticket sales went to the restoration project at the civic center, a focus of planned renovation.
One of those goals is to make the building compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as improving general conditions.
To read the full story, see the Wednesday, May 20, edition of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.
