I have seen lots of things in my 34 years of living in Brandon, but NEVER have I seen the total disregard for our history that is happening today!
Have we not learned anything from previous mistakes? In the 1950s, the county tore down the beautifully domed old county courthouse. Today, it is the county logo. You cannot replace history once it's gone!
The county just keeps allowing development to take over, tearing down the few historic places we have left. This is especially true in Brandon with the Galvin-Jaudon House, the last remaining house from the 1890's original 40-acre town site of Brandon.
The Galvin-Jaudon House is not just any old house! The Galvin and Jaudon families have rich histories directly tied to Brandon's beginnings. This 100-plus-year-old house could become a showcase for our community's history. Unlike other cities in Hillsborough County that have history museums and large historical districts, Brandon has no place.
With the overwhelming tax base that the 250,000+
Brandon area residents provide the county, there should be a way for the BOCC to help Brandon save this house and our history. Why don't our County Commissioners want to help us? Kudos to Commissioner Pat Frank for standing up to the property owners, the First Baptist Church of Brandon, and for trying to assist the Brandon Historical Association in saving the Galvin-Jaudon House on its original site.
Shouldn't the church feel some civic and moral responsibility to our entire community, instead of thinking only of parking and long-range building plans? Whatever happened to "Treat thy neighbor in the way in which you would want to be treated?" The church wants the land, but not the history.
The church already owns about 30 acres in this original town site; and let's face it, moving the house might gain an 10 extra parking spaces. Why is this particular block so valuable that we cannot have a plan to leave the house and still have parking? This would truly be a WIN-WIN situation for the church and community. If the house is relocated as a restaurant it will certainly impact its historic integrity, its connection to the railroad and the original township, making it more difficult to get on the National Register for Historic Places.
The BOCC's appointed volunteer board, the Historic Resources Review Board, admitted it made a mistake by NOT landmarking the house. Our elected officials should correct this mistake and give this house its rightful landmark designation. The Brandon Historical Association has asked and been denied a public meeting. But we have an opportunity to voice our opinions at a Town Hall Meeting at 6:30 p.m. in Brandon on Aug. 7 at the Westfield Shoppingtown mall. We can no longer sit passively by and expect government to do the right thing. If you care at all about Brandon's destiny, attend this Town Hall meeting. To help the Galvin-Jaudon House, please call Lisa Rodriguez at 685-5472 or Ruth Dean at 651-9619.
-- Lisa Rodriguez, Brandon
[Last modified July 24, 2003, 12:20:31]
