Next Meeting: Thurs, Nov 14, 7:00pm at Barlow Community Center. Dr. Kevin Kern looks at individuals from Ohio who held the highest office.
HHA Hosts Author of Study That Changed the Course of Hudson’s Future
Those who attend the October 12 general meeting of Hudson Heritage Association will learn how a single decision by Hudson officials in 1973 laid the foundation for the following 50 years of planning, land use and preservation that created the Hudson that residents and visitors enjoy today.
The meeting will feature speaker Rebecca Rogers, whose research work for Hudson Village Council was pivotal to the subsequent plans Hudson officials adopted for new construction, as well as commercial and industrial development. It also focused a new urgency on preserving and protecting the historical buildings and open space of Hudson – both at risk as Hudson began to grow exponentially following decades as a sleepy village.
In March 1973, it was exactly the threats posed by unregulated growth that prompted a group of citizens to persuade Hudson Village Council to undertake a formal study to guide decisions related to historic preservation in the context of residential and commercial growth. A month later, the Council established a five-person Architectural Study Commission to supervise the project and hired Ms. Rogers to conduct the study. Four months later, the Commission presented the results of her study to Hudson’s mayor and council, and the report, Hudson, Ohio, an Architectural and Historical Study, was accepted as a Village ordinance in June 1974.
The 127-page study, which was later published as a book, provided an extensive history of Hudson’s early years, an analysis of current economics and land use trends, recommendations for using green space and historical buildings, recommendations for protecting Hudson’s downtown and creating historic district legislation, guidelines for researching historical buildings, and sources for preservation funding. It included 18 specific recommendations for officials to consider going forward.
A graduate of Hudson Schools and Smith College, Ms. Rogers holds a Master of Architecture degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She has spent her career as a consultant and volunteer to municipalities, government organizations, non-profit groups, cultural institutions and others focused on documenting and sharing the history of buildings and landscapes throughout Ohio.
The October 12 meeting, which begins at 7:30 p.m., will be held at Barlow Community Center. The meeting is free and open to the public; refreshments will be served following the presentation.