Jan 16, 2021
Last month’s announcement that authorization had finally been received to transfer the federally owned historic Joseph Barker Jr. house into the hands of a local nonprofit was welcome, indeed.
But perhaps more important was the reminder of the kind of teamwork it took to make such a move possible.
Back in 2013, the Newport Township house was being considered for removal by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
It has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979, but being on the register does not necessarily protect properties in the future.
A 2017 public meeting to further discuss possible demolition caught the attention of enough people that an effort began to preserve the building.