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 Posted: Sun Jun 11th, 2006 12:15 am
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Steven Cone
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You may have seen the story on the Jenkins House in Murfreesboro, Tn  in the CWI news section. 

The Home was used as a hospital  by both sides during the battle of Murfreesboro / Stones River   Dec 31 1862- Jan 2 1863

Well here is a update on the once grand Old House.

Yesterday I received a Email by Kay Morrow of the "Save the Jenkins House Preservation Group" Stating that the members of the group would meet the (City Manager for Murfreesboro) Roger Haley  to discuss a proposal. 

The proposal being that the city help purchase the house, and change the zoning from commercial to historical.   While the group creates an association to restore the house to help pay for the cost,

Less than 24 from Kay's email I received the following this morning


This morning, 6/10/06 at approx 10:08am, my wife and I were taking our girls to T-Ball games. Our route takes us past the Jenkins House. As we turned on to Hwy 24, from Medical Center/Mason Pike I saw a low boy parked on the side of the highway. 

I immediately looked up to the Jenkins house to see a large piece of construction equipment in the yard.  We drove down to Old Fort Parkway (96) to go north on Grisham. I drove up to the gate of the hose to have my worst fears confirmed. The large shovel, had it’s arm imbedded into the front column of the house. A police officer started towards us as a blond haired lady franticly waved us away.

We called Kay Morrow and left a message, we called Channel 4 news in Nashville and the Tennessean. But it’s gone! Just a pile of broken wood.

A Murfreesboro city policemen was there, so the city knew. Words cannot describe the disgust I feel at this moment.

Dan

It looks like the  City of Murfreesboro "government" and who ever else was involved were starting to worry that momentum to save the beloved old house was building and desided to destroy it before things got to far out of there control.


Another peice of history lost forever...

Last edited on Sun Jun 11th, 2006 02:28 am by Steven Cone
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 Posted: Sun Jun 11th, 2006 01:54 pm
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javal1
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Mana: 
 Steve -

Many thanks for posting this. As of 8:00am Sunday morning, we can find no media outlets reporting this outrage. The longer I live in this state, the more it amazes me how little foresight local and state officials show in regards to historic sites, preservation, and historic tourism.

If the media continues to ignore the story, we will refer readers to this post for the story Monday. We were in the middle of gathering some info on the history of the house to try to assist in a grass-roots effort, but we thought we had more time. Never thought Murfreesboro officials would go about it in such a devious way. Thanks again....
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 Posted: Sun Jun 11th, 2006 05:23 pm
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susansweet2
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 :(How very sad.  What a beautiful house it was.  Too bad i will now never get to see it in person nor will future generations. 
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 Posted: Sun Jun 11th, 2006 08:11 pm
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Steven Cone
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 Most welcome on the post.. I know we dicussed  the house through IM..  This was a big shock  to all ..

As I posted Kay Morrow and several other members of the "Save the Jenkins house" group was  to meet with City Manager Roger Haley this week.

As for the media coverage. WSMV ch. 4 Nashville  did a small story on the house  last saturday on the 10 pm news..   And I guess the  seller was getting worried as momentum to save the beloved old house was building.

WSMV ch. 4 Nashville was contacted yesterday  and they reported the destruction of the house on the 10 pm news again.   They spoke with Kay Morrow  about the loss of the historic home.    The owner of the property drove away from the scene  on their Cell phone not commenting to anyone. and shortly afterwords the police arived on the  scene. 

Basicly what it comes down to  is just pure greed..  Instead of waiting for someone to buy the home or even  waiting for someone to maybe be able to move it to another location they destroyed  it.  according to the news last night the  house was holding back the selling of the  land. 

Their may be somthing in the Papers in the morning as I know the Tennessean was contacted as well. 

Oh I'm so mad  :X  I hope they  are haunted  for their actions for the  rest of their lives, and their future generations to come.

Steven N. Cone
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 Posted: Sun Jun 11th, 2006 11:27 pm
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88th Indiana
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 It's terrible that yet another part of our history is gone. 
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 Posted: Mon Jun 12th, 2006 02:27 am
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Steven Cone
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 The following is the latest from Kay Morrow..


rhaley@murfreesborotn.gov
 
tbragg@murfreesborotn.gov
 
Please note the email addresses for Roger Haley and Mayor Tommy Bragg.   I beg each and every one of you to email both of them and express your displeasure with them over what happened this weekend.    It doesn't have to be a very long email, just let them know that you wanted the house saved and that respectfully you are disappointed that they took no steps to preserve it.   It might also be nice to request that they put markers near where the Jenkins House stood that explain what was there.   I would also request a response/explanation for why they did nothing.  (If you do get a response, please share with the group.) 
 
For those of you who are still really upset, please respond and I will send you the full emails that I had with both City Officials over the last weeks so you can see the conversations that transpired.  
 
As many of you know, we are not quite done with the campaign.   We REALLY need to take this last step and make sure these City officials who helped make this destruction happen feel the full consequences of their actions. If you are not interested in this final piece, I fully understand and I will remove you from further emails, but you have to let me know.  
 
This final piece is not meant to show bitterness (although we certainly feel that)---it is to make sure City Officials know that we are NOT satisfied with what occurred and we are NOT happy that they chose to stand by and allow this to happen.   They had a responsibility to us, the people on the petitions, and future generations, and they chose to ignore it.   Compare them to the City of Franklin--who has made strides in preservation--and tell them Murfreesboro needs to step up, or we need new officials.
 
If you feel like me, it makes me sick to drive anywhere near that place now.  Let's see how long the owners make us look at what they have done without even having the decency to finish the job in a timely manner.    Right now it looks like they just smashed it and left it.
 
 
Thanks again,
Kay Morrow
SaveTheJenkinsHouse@yahoo.com
 
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 Posted: Mon Jun 12th, 2006 11:02 pm
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Steven Cone
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 The following is from the Tennessee Preservation Trust listserve:

Dear Listserve Members:

It is with great regret that I report that the c. 1853 National Register-listed Hiram Jenkins House in Murfreesboro was destroyed Saturday. I was told by a reporter just today that the demo permit was actually issued in mid-April. This weekend demolition comes just three days before local members of the "Save the Jenkin House" Committee and I were to meet with City Manager Roger Haley to discuss potential options for the property, and just over a week after the house was listed on the Ten in Tennessee endangered list. You may find a photo and a few details of the house at: http://www.tennesseepreservationtrust.org/ten Of the 50 properties listed since 2001, this is only the third to be lost.

While we had kept the name of the current owners out of our press releases, they are Roy and Char Yeager. Music fans will find it of interest that Mr. Yeager was the one-time drummer for the 1970s band the Atlanta Rythm Section. This property first came to our attention as threatened in the summer of 2003. At that time, we had a series of calls and letters to the owners after they had moved out of the home. In our correspondence of September 23, 2003, we asked to meet with the Yeagers to discuss ideas on how to save the property. The letter was never answered-- and the house apparently continued to remain unoccupied and deteriorating. We were encouraged that the property was/is being marketed as "subdividable" and that a strong local advocacy group was working to save the house.

In as much as something like this is a bitter loss for the state's heritage, it reminds us of why we must all continue to work hard-- and celebrate our successes along the way.

Patrick McIntyre
Executive Director
Tennessee Preservation Trust
P.O. Box 24373
Nashville, TN 37202
(615) 259-2289
http://www.tennesseepreservationtrust.org

Last edited on Mon Jun 12th, 2006 11:02 pm by Steven Cone
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 Posted: Tue Jun 13th, 2006 02:37 pm
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MAubrecht
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 This is a terrible outrage. It is interesting though... if you do an internet search for the Yeager's contact information, it appears that there are multiple Yeagers living in that region. Not knowing anything specific about them, it "appears" that there are multiple families (perhaps even generations) with residences in the Murfreesboro area. That to me, makes this tragedy even more disturbing as if this is the case, they are "locals" who had to be aware of the history and hallowedness of their surroundings.

In other words, it's bad enough that anonymous "outsiders" and/or land developers come into places like this and threaten the historic landmarks - but when a native resident does it - that makes the situation even worse. Regardless if this is true or not, it is still just as shameful and totally irresponsible behavior in my opinion.

Last edited on Tue Jun 13th, 2006 02:38 pm by MAubrecht
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 Posted: Tue Jun 13th, 2006 02:52 pm
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HankC
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 Oh the wailing and gnashing of teeth by we who have never heard of, much less visited, these 'historical' sites but who know better than the generations of owners...

 

HankC
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 Posted: Tue Jun 13th, 2006 02:53 pm
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Steven Cone
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 I agree..  its just plain evil ... but  its somthing  that  we should use to rally behind.

Historical landmarks such as the Hiram Jenkins House not only deserve to be preserved they have earned the right to be preserved. 

The house may be gone but what happed there will  never be erased. It is up to us as Historians, History buffs & Preservationest  to pass on not only what happened  there during the war .. but  what  happened there in the last  few days..  

And although the battle to save the house was lost  we must continue the fight for preservation.  Not only for ourselves or our children  but  for all generations to come. 

The Hiram Jenkins House - A martyr for the preservation cause !!!!

Steven Cone

Historian, Re-enactor & Preservationest

Last edited on Tue Jun 13th, 2006 06:26 pm by Steven Cone
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 Posted: Wed Jun 14th, 2006 12:23 am
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rrhrjs
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 First thought in reading today's editorial: For the Atlanta Non-Rhythm Section to put itself in the same league as Skynard and The Allman Brothers borders on libel. No. 2: It's disgraceful that the people who are so quick to raze and ruin aren't interested in giving our children the opportunity to learn about and appreciate this country's history. But of course, that would require thinking of others rather than oneself.  

On a happier note, I stumbled across this website this weekend and immediately fell in love with it. Thanks to all who put it together and maintain it, and to all the folks who offer such rich, insightful and informative comments on the discussion board. What a great way to help preserve our shared Civil War history.

 
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 Posted: Wed Jun 14th, 2006 12:10 pm
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javal1
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Mana: 
 rrhrjs -

Thanks for the kind words about the site, and welcome to the board! I have to tell the truth, if there's one humorous thing in this whole tragic episode, I agree it was the comment comparing ARS and Skynard and the Allman Bros. While writing the editorial I returned to the page on the ARS website verifying that it indeed said that. I was also searching to see if there was one of these -;)- behind the sentence, but no, evidently they were not being tongue-in-cheek. Talk about delusions of grandeur!

Anyway, welcome again to the board and the site....
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 Posted: Thu Jun 15th, 2006 07:36 pm
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Steven Cone
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 indy19th wrote: Since this property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, I believe they had to get permission to demolish it. They weren't stupid enough to demolish it without the required permission, were they?

Indy,

 

I thought the same thing  and wrote Patrick McIntyre - Executive Director:
Tennessee Preservation Trust http://www.tennesseepreservationtrust.org

And this was his reply..

With the exception of some protections when Federal funding is involved, the National Register is an honorary designation.  The ways to protect historic buildings are twofold: You can place the building under a protective easement, which transfers with the deed from owner to owner; or more commonly the building can be locally  landmarked individually or as a part of a local historic district (administered by the city.) The Jenkins House fell under neither protection.

 My hope is that we can get enough intrest in propsing a bill  that  woul;d place buildings that are 150 years old plus or homes that had a significant historical value automaticly  placed in theses catagories..

Any thoughts?

regards, Steven
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 Posted: Thu Jun 15th, 2006 09:06 pm
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javal1
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 Indy and Steve -

Not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but there's no way such a regulation or law would pass. Many, if not the majority of such structures are in the hands of private individuals. Such a thing would be seen as unreasonable intrusion into private matters. In addition, think of the level of oversight that would be needed, resulting in extra financial burdens for local, state and federal gov't. Not disagreeing with the sentiment at all, but looking at it realistically, I don't see it as feasable. Just my opinion....
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 Posted: Thu Jun 15th, 2006 10:47 pm
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William Posey
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 Today's Murfreesboro Daily News Journal has an article about this disgraceful affair.
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