Saturday, February 8, 1997
Residents grab part of history at auction
By SANDRA CHITTUM / Correspondent
ANSON - Before the walls come tumbling down, some nostalgic
residents grabbed pieces of history during an auction at the Anson
school auditorium Friday.
The Depression-era auditorium is set for demolition beginning
either Feb. 17 or 18.
"I wish I could buy the building and move it to my property,"
said Carole Long, an opponent of the demolition of the building,
which was built in 1936 as a Works Progress Administration project
during the Roosevelt administration.
Long photographed the building as a keepsake.
"I wanted to take a few pictures before it's torn down,"
she said.
Seats, lights, windows, doors, stage curtains and everything
else in the building was up for auction Friday.
The auction began outside on the steps with the letters spelling
"auditorium" selling for $25 for the set.
When six bids were submitted during a school board meeting
Jan. 15, a group of citizens requested the board reconsider the
demolition until the Texas Historical Commission could evaluate
the building to see if it was eligible for a historic designation
and possible grants for restoration.
Board members, however, decided to proceed with the demolition.
SCS Group of Dallas was awarded a $46,300 bid Jan. 20 to tear
down the old auditorium. A new auditorium/band hall will be built
at an estimated cost of $1.8 million, which will be paid for with
reserve funds.
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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