Message from the Co-Presidents | |
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November is a special month in the United States. Not only do we pause to give thanks, but every four years we are offered an opportunity to shape the course of the nation through presidential elections. At this month’s general meeting on November 14 Dr. Kevin Kern, associate professor of history at the University of Akron, will present a program titled “The Ohio Presidents.” Often called the “Mother of Presidents,” Ohio claims seven presidents who were born in Ohio (and one who settled in the state but was born in Virginia). Can you name them all? We invite you to join us on the 14th to learn more about Ohio’s presidents and their role shaping the nation. More details of this special program are included below.
We want to congratulate the Baldwin-Buss House Foundation and Peg’s Foundation for completing their shared project to restore the historic 1825 Baldwin-Buss House, create a new campus for Peg’s Foundation, and connect the historic Park Lane Green and Main Street businesses with the First and Main district. This project – just like the preservation of the Flood Barn that was shared last month – serves as a model for preservation projects that maintain the history and architectural heritage of our community. More on the Baldwin-Buss House is included below.
This month we also want to make sure everyone is aware of an update to the Downtown Planning Initiative. The city sought online feedback from the community and also met with community organizations to gain input. We appreciate that HHA Advocacy Committee members Barb Van Blarcum, Debbi Classen, Tim Graham, Rebecca Leiter and Pat Rydquist had an opportunity to meet with city staff to provide our organization’s thoughts about this important project. Based on feedback from the general public, HHA, and other groups within Hudson, the city reports that the plan will be revised and adjusted. We anticipate that the revised proposal will be shared with the public for comments next month for new feedback.
Each spring HHA seeks to acknowledge and honor individuals and organizations who have been working hard to preserve and protect Hudson’s historical properties through its Preservation Awards. Established in 2017, these awards recognize the dedication and efforts undertaken to maintain and restore the historic properties that contribute to the character of Hudson. If you have undertaken a preservation project or know of a neighbor who has done so please consider submitting an application for this year’s Preservation Awards. Past recipients have been recognized for the work to preserve public properties such as the Barlow Farm Barn, the Western Reserve Academy Chapel and private homes that line various streets throughout the Historic District. More information on the award criteria and nomination process can be found here.
Finally, in December, Hudson Heritage Association will be publishing its 2024/25 membership directory. If you haven’t already renewed your membership, it is not too late to be included! Click here to join online or to download a membership renewal form.
And the answer to the Ohio presidents: Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, McKinley, Taft, and Harding. William Henry Harrison was born in Virginia but settled in Ohio.
We hope to see you on November 14, and we want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Susan Newman and Rebecca Leiter
Co-Presidents
Hudson Heritage Association
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October Program: Ohio's Legacy of Presidential Leadership | |
On the heels of the 2024 presidential election, Hudson Heritage Association’s November 14 meeting will feature Dr. Kevin Kern, associate professor of history at the University of Akron, who will look back at the individuals from Ohio who held the highest office in the land following the Civil War and during the decades leading to the Great Depression. The program, which begins at 7 p.m., will be held at Barlow Community Center.
Beginning with Ulysses S. Grant in 1869 and ending with Warren G. Harding in 1921, the nation’s voters sent seven Ohioans to the White House during a 54-year period – a record rivaled only by Virginia, which claims the country’s first four presidents, along with four more ending with Woodrow Wilson. Dr. Kern’s talk, entitled “Ohio Leads the Nation: the Ohio Dynasty of Presidents, 1868-1923,” will explore the reasons for the state’s unprecedented dominance on the national political scene during a time of westward expansion, industrialization and emergence on the world stage.
Dr. Kern is the co-author of Ohio: A History of the Buckeye State, now in its second edition. He specializes in Ohio history, late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century U.S. history, and the history of science and technology. He has appeared in shows on The History Channel, C-SPAN, and PBS; and is currently working on State of the Game: Ohio and the Development of a Football Culture, a book about the early history of football in Ohio.
The November 14 program is free and open to the public. Attendees should note 7 p.m. is a new, earlier start time for HHA programs. Refreshments will be served following the presentation.
|  | A drawing of the moment when James A. Garfield was fatally wounded by an assassin at the Baltimore and Potomac train station in Washington D.C. Elected as the 20th president of the United States, Garfield was born in a log cabin in Moreland Hills, served as the president of the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute (now Hiram College), rose to the rank of major general during the Civil War and served nine terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. The James A. Garfield National Historic Site in Mentor served as the family home and the site of the first “front porch campaign” for president. Illustration courtesy of Kevin Kern. | Starting Work on Your Historic Home? Check Out This Valuable Resource First! | |
Considering a project for your historic Hudson home – or about to purchase an historic Hudson home that you hope to update? HHA offers a brochure that can help you navigate the city’s approval process for altering historic properties and make the appropriate decisions for restoring, rehabilitating, repairing and modifying elements of these unique structures.
The 44-page guide includes recommendations for steps to take before beginning a project; details about city regulations covering additions, projections, new outbuildings and accessory structures; and suggestions for updating building systems. The guide also includes detailed information about exterior restoration and renovation, addressing concerns related to siding, roofing, windows, shutters, doors, porches and fences. An additional section provides guidelines for landscaping and environmental preservation. A list of resources also is included.
A copy of the brochure can be downloaded by clicking here or by sending a request to info@hudsonheritage.org. Free copies are also available at HHA’s monthly general meetings. Be sure to ask for one as you stop for refreshments following the program!
|  | Congratulations to the Baldwin-Buss House Foundation! | The front of the Baldwin-Buss House located at 36 North Main Street as it now appears following a multi-year effort to restore the property built in 1825 by Lemuel Porter. | |
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What began as a vision more than nearly six years ago became a reality last month when the Baldwin-Buss House Foundation opened the doors to the restored and reimagined Baldwin-Buss House, a centuries-old endangered landmark that has stood in one of the most prominent locations in the city of Hudson for nearly two hundred years.
Built in 1825 by Lemuel Poter, the house is considered an outstanding example of early Western Reserve architecture. Porter’s other notable projects include the Congregational Church located in Tallmadge Circle, Presidents House on Western Reserve Academy's campus, and the Whedon Farwell House located at 30 Aurora Street. All are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
As the Baldwin-Buss house entered the 21st century, concerns grew about the future of this iconic property. In 2015, the city of Hudson considered a proposal to move the house 50 feet from its current location and surround it with a mixed-use development that would include condominiums and a parking lot. Hudson Heritage Association watched the home carefully and in 2018, three HHA officers – Don Husat, Inga Walker and Kathy Russell -- agreed it was time to take action.
Very quickly, the Baldwin-Buss House Foundation was established and the group embarked on an ambitious fundraising campaign to buy the property and restore it to its original condition. Over the ensuing years, the foundation not only raised $1.3 million, but also established a serendipitous relationship with the Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation, now known as Peg's Foundation. When it became clear the Baldwin-Buss Foundation’s fundraising efforts would fall short of its goal to both buy the property and restore the house, Peg’s Foundation stepped forward to buy the house, the surrounding land and two commercial properties on the site, and also contribute significant funding to the project. The two foundations established a partnership, with the understanding the funds that had been raised by the Baldwin-Buss House Foundation would be used for the home’s restoration.
An exhaustive effort has since taken place to carefully undo generations of unsympathetic additions that compromised the home’s architectural integrity. At the same time, researchers worked to document the structure’s original floor plan, the building’s chronology, significant architectural features and the decorative finishes that make it such an outstanding example of Porter’s work. When possible, elements were saved through painstaking restoration. Other work involved finding expert craftsmen to replicate original elements that could not be salvaged or were missing (such as the pilaster bases, part of the exterior door fan light, and some exterior windows).
If you have not already done so, plan to take a walk to the Park Lane Green and look closely at the result of this years-long effort. One of Hudson’s most exceptional properties has gained a second life thanks to the hard work of a small group of dedicated volunteers and the generosity of more than 330 donors who helped make the dream of preserving this important piece of Hudson history a reality. Hudson Heritage Association is proud to have provided the seed funding for this project and thanks the Baldwin-Buss House Foundation, Peg’s Foundation and the many individuals who made the decision that this house was too important to Hudson not to save.
For more information about the Baldwin-Buss House Foundation, the Baldwin-Buss House, the role of Peg’s Foundation and the project itself, visit https://www.bbhfoundation.org/. For more information about Peg’s Foundation and its work on the Park Lane Project, visit https://parklaneproject.com/.
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Welcome New Board Member! | |
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This month, we are pleased to introduce our third new board member -- one of five joining the HHA board for a three-year term that began in July.
Debbi Classen is a familiar face to those who happen to frequent Hudson’s old Town Hall, as she frequently serves behind the counter at Destination Hudson ready to answer any and all questions, whether they center around Hudson-themed gift items or local history. Debbi grew up in Shaker Heights and graduated from Bowling Green State University with a degree in speech & hearing. She has lived in Hudson since 1979 and has significant experience serving on local boards. She was on the board of directors for the Fairways Association for 12 years and served on the board of directors for Destination Hudson for six. During that time, she helped author the book A Picture of Hudson. She also helped Liz Murphy publish the children’s book The Mouse on the Clocktower. For five years, she and Liz also gave tours of Hudson’s historic district.
We are pleased to welcome Debbi to the HHA board and the wealth of institutional experience and deep knowledge of Hudson history that she brings to our group.
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If you would like to receive HHA's monthly newsletter, please email us at info@hudsonheritage.org and ask us to add you to our mailing list. We will be glad to keep you in the loop about our programs and other activities.
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Have You Renewed Your Membership? | | |
Thank you to all who have already joined for the 2024/2025 year!
For those of you have not yet joined Hudson Heritage Association, it is not too late to join or renew your membership and enjoy its many benefits for the 2024/25 year. Be among the first to know about issues that impact our historic community, learn from the many resources available through our monthly newsletter, our website, and speakers' series, and gain access to member-only events.
Your membership donation to Hudson Heritage Association shows your commitment to historic preservation and supports HHA's mission to protect the architecture and streetscape of Hudson.
We hope that if you're a long-time Hudson Heritage Association supporter and believe in our work that you will continue to advance our mission. If you're joining for the first time, we welcome you and hope your decision to join will be repeated for many years to come.
Please click here to connect to our website and join online or mail a check to:
Hudson Heritage Association
P.O. Box 2218
Hudson, OH 44236
Thank you in advance for your continued support!
There's no time like the present to protect the past!
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PO Box 2218 - Hudson, OH 44236
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