January Newsletter

January 6, 2023

As we count our blessings in 2023, the Hudson Heritage Association Board of Directors wishes you success, prosperity and happiness in the new year.

Hudson Heritage Association Board of Directors

Every year new people are nominated to the Hudson Heritage Association Board of Directors. The interests, skills and professional expertise of the all-volunteer board vary, and each member brings a unique perspective and talents. Committee work is an integral part of the organization’s success. If you think you want to help protect the aesthetic character of Hudson, like to write, are interested in researching older properties, or could lend your talents in some other way to advocate for issues that affect the historic preservation of our community, please consider applying for an HHA Board of Directors position. All inquiries may be sent via email to info@hudsonheritage.org.

1927 Building Property and Memorial

On May 31, 2022 the Hudson City School District (HCSD) passed two resolutions concerning the 1927 Building and property at a Board of Education Special Meeting.

One resolution authorized the HCSD to enter into negotiations with the Quagliata family, which will donate funds to the School District to be used for school purposes in exchange for an agreement that the 2.7 acres comprising the 1927 Building site will be used only for public school purposes for a 99-year period. To date, this agreement has not been finalized.

The second resolution authorized the execution of a letter of intent with Hudson Heritage Association for the removal of architectural artifacts from the front façade of the 1927 Building so they can be used to construct a memorial at a mutually acceptable location. In September, proposed designs for the 1927 Building Memorial and site were presented to members of the school district. Discussions concerning the design of the memorial are still active. 

Western Reserve Academy Alumni War Memorial

You may have noticed a new addition to the campus of Western Reserve Academy. On November 14, 2022, a new WRA Alumni War Memorial was dedicated to honor the 66  WRA Alumni who lost their lives either serving this country or through a military conflict, from the Civil War through 9/11. The Memorial is located on Brick Row between the Chapel and Seymour Hall, at the existing Sundial Garden (1926). 

The commemoration and dedication ceremony took place at the Chapel with keynote speaker Lt. General (Ret) Daniel W. Christman ’61, a former Hudson resident and alumni of WRA, providing poignant remarks on the meaning of a memorial. This was followed by a performance of “In Flanders Fields” by members of the Academy choir.  WRA students then led a necrology and slide show that paid tribute to each of the 66  alumni. The dedication then moved outside to the Memorial wall where bronze plaques were draped with a large American flag. After a brief word of appreciation by WRA Head of School, Suzanne W. Buck, the Memorial was unveiled, and the Chapel bell tolled 66  times, once for each of the alumni lost.

The Memorial concept was the brainchild of WRA alumni Harrison “Hub” Bubb ‘57, who presented his idea to the leadership of WRA and campaigned to fund the project, primarily through the generous donations of alumni. Past HHA president Christopher Bach served as project designer for the Memorial and site designer. 

The new Memorial wall incorporates a restored WRA WWII bronze memorial plaque that honors 46  alumni who died during World War II, two new cast bronze plaques, restoration of the 1926 sundial, a low curved brick wall/bench seating, new brick paving, and landscaping. The WRA Alumni War Memorial will serve as a remembrance of those alumni lost, a gathering space for students for contemplation and reflection, and outdoor education.

To view the dedication ceremony, please click here.

Hudson Landmark Survey

During December, members of Hudson Heritage Association completed a Hudson Landmark “windshield” survey that documented the existing condition of historical structures outside of the Hudson Historic District. The photographs and research will be used to compile a list of properties that may be eligible for Landmark designation. A similar survey was last conducted in 1992. 

Once completed, the list will be evaluated by the Architectural and Historic Board of Review (AHBR). Pending approval, the property owners will be contacted to determine their level of interest in having their properties so designated. The Landmark designation is entirely elective, but, once “landmarked,” the structures will be subject to the same AHBR Design Standards as those properties within the Historic District. It is hoped that the project will be wrapped up by December 2023.

The Clinton Airline Railroad Stone Bridge is a Hudson Landmark candidate that is endangered.  It was built by Henry Noble Day and associates in an attempt to make Hudson a railroad center.  The organization was bankrupted before service could begin. Tom Vince speaks about the bridge and its history in a video created in 2020.  To view the video, please click here.  Photograph by Phil Leiter.

The Master Craftsman 

For more than 50 years, Richard Grell has been hand-crafting Windsor chairs on his Hudson property, using wood from his farm. His museum-quality chairs are owned by institutions, businesses and individuals across the country, including famous actors, musicians, Fortune 500 CEOs and presidents.

Many of his finest pieces reside in museums and schools across the United States, including the Ong Library and Wilson Hall on the Western Reserve Academy campus and the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum in Washington, D.C. Sixty-five of his pieces were commissioned for the University of New England Alumni Hall in Portland, Maine.

The Master Craftsman is an intimate look into Grell’s woodworking skills and techniques. The local production is the work of Phillip Sieb, filmmaker and director, and Philip Leiter, a board member of Hudson Heritage Association, who served as the film’s director of photography. To view the documentary and the dates and times that it will be aired, please click here.

Baldwin-Buss House 

The fate of the historical siding on the Baldwin-Buss House (1825) has been determined. Lapped siding on the west, north, and south elevations of the main block will be removed. The recommendation was presented to and approved by the Architectural Board of Review on December 14 with one dissenting vote. The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation that guide the AHBR state that the historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved and that removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided. However, the project’s lead architect, and opinions from two preservation consultants, concluded that replacement was justified because of rot, numerous splits, layers of paint, and the need for insulation. To view the full report, please click here.  

Importantly, there are no plans to replace the flush-board siding on the east elevation that could potentially damage the character-defining architectural elements such as the Ionic pilasters, capitals, lunette and fan light over the main entry. Plans also remain to restore, rather than replace, the historical windows on all elevations.

City of Hudson Comprehensive Plan

As noted on the City of Hudson’s website, “the Comprehensive Plan is a guiding document, directed by residents and local stakeholders, that guides the community’s vision for the future. The Plan details a long-term vision and policy agenda for important issues in land use, housing, parks, infrastructure, transportation, and more. The Hudson City Charter requires a review and update of the Comprehensive Plan at least once every 10 years.”

The first full meeting of the new Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee on December 7^th began robustly.  Members of the steering committee expressed their concern about the extent of input they would provide, the selection of leadership, and their role in the decision-making process.  It was emphasized that the Comprehensive Plan should be led by the residents and local stakeholders on the Steering Committee, not the consultant or the city.

Reassurances by city officials were given stating that the committee and subcommittees could get together as frequently as desired with or without the consultant, who contractually will attend six meetings.  City officials also confirmed that leadership and responsibilities of the steering committee would be determined by the committee democratically and that the committee would have full latitude in the process.

All Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee meetings are recorded and can be viewed by visiting the City’s website. Click here to view past and future meetings.

Hudson Community Living

After a lengthy meeting of the Planning Commission on December 12, the conditional use of the site plan requested by Hudson Community Living was approved to build a development at 33 S. Oviatt for residents with developmental disabilities. The community will be limited to 16 units, with the footprint of the development remaining as originally proposed.

According to updated documents submitted, a deed restriction will be placed on the property prior to the issuance of a zoning certificate limiting the use to serve adult persons with developmental disabilities. The deed restriction will be subject to approval by the City Solicitor and will include a requirement that it cannot be released without approval by the City of Hudson Planning Commission.

Other issues brought up pertained to the Fair Housing Act, which protects against discrimination of any kind.  Differing legal opinions were provided relative to the subject.

HHA Monthly Program

HHA is excited to welcome Dr. Kenneth Bindas as the keynote speaker at its January program. Dr. Bindas’ topic will be the history of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and its “Canal Boat Builders.” Please join us on January 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Barlow Community Center.  Dr. Bindas won the 2012 Outstanding Research and Scholar Award from Kent State University, the 2014 Oral History Association Non-Print Format Award and has published numerous articles of historical interest.

Warm wishes for the new year!

Kathy Russell & Diccon Ong

Co-Presidents

Hudson Heritage Association

January Program

KSU's Dr. Kenneth Bindas

Thursday, January 12, 2023

Dr. Kenneth J. Bindas, a professor and former chair of history at Kent State University, will speak about “The Opening of Ohio: Canal Boats, Technology, and the Ohio-Erie Canal” when he speaks to Hudson Heritage Association on Thursday, January 12. A well-respected local historian, Bindas will discuss the evolution of the Ohio-Erie Canal from layout to execution of a master plan involving excavation, lock construction and canal boat building. He also will discuss how the Ohio-Erie Canal put Northeast Ohio on the national and international map during the early days of Ohio’s history. The meeting, to be held at the Barlow Community Center, begins at 7:30 p.m.

Dr. Bindas specializes in modern American cultural and intellectual history. He has written numerous books on the intersection of politics, culture, and class during the Depression era, including The Civilian Conservation Corps and the Construction of the Virginia Kendall Reserve, 1933-1939. He also worked as a producer, writer, and assistant director for a PBS documentary, Invisible Struggles: Stories of Northern Segregation. Kent State University has recognized him with the Outstanding Research and Scholar Award, the Diversity Leadership Award, and the Arts & Sciences Distinguished Teacher Award.

Conceived as a way to link the Ohio River with Lake Erie, the Ohio-Erie Canal opened profitable East Coast markets including New York City to Ohio’s farmers and merchants via a water route that began in Portsmouth and worked its way north over 308 miles. Dug largely by Irish and German immigrants, the canal operated from 1832 until the historic flood of 1913 destroyed key parts of it. Parts of the canal remain, including a number that can be seen in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. 

2023 HHA Preservation Awards

Nominations accepted until January 31, 2023

The Hudson Heritage Association Preservation Awards recognize and honor historic structures in Hudson that have been well preserved or restored within the last five years in a manner that maintains the historic integrity of the property. No minimum or maximum number of awards will be given in any year.

We encourage our HHA members to nominate preservation/restoration projects for the 2023 HHA Preservation Awards. To be eligible, properties must be at least 75 years old, and may include private residences, commercial buildings, publicly owned buildings, nonprofit organizations and historic landscapes. You can find information about applying for the Preservation Awards Program by clicking here. 

Criteria for nominations include: 

• All nominated properties must be located within the City of Hudson.
• To be considered, restoration and preservation projects must have been completed on or after September 15, 2018.
• Properties may be nominated by their owners or by another individual or group. If another individual or group nominates a property, the owner must be notified.
• Consideration for awards will include appropriateness of the materials used on both the exterior and interior parts of the structure, including landscaping materials, and the historic accuracy of any preservation or restorations made.

Nominate a property before January 31, 2023, and help HHA celebrate preservation in Hudson.

2022-23 Program Dates

Plan to join us for our popular monthly programs. Unless otherwise noted, these meetings are open to the general public and are held in the Assembly Room of Barlow Community Center at 7:30 p.m. Light refreshments are provided. Mark your calendars for the following dates:

February 9

The History & Current Use of the Ravenna Arsenal by Col. (Ret.) William Meade & Tim Morgan (Ohio Army National Guard)

March 9

Ohio Historic Markers & His Adventures in Searching for Them by Dennis Reiser

April 13

Students from WRA (Topic to be determined)

May 11

HHA Annual Meeting - TBD

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