Lee-Washington Conservation District works to remember community's past
May 9—In an effort to bring more charm near downtown Greenville, the Lee-Washington Conservation District is honoring their community's history by restoring old homes and other buildings as well as building new ones that fit the aesthetic of the 140-year-old neighborhood.
Although the district was officially established and approved by the city council in 2006, the historic neighborhood didn't receive signage identifying its significance until recently. Instrumental in the efforts all the while has been local history buff and Lee Street resident Milton Babb.
"Washington and Lee Street were actually developed before Park Street (another historic Greenville neighborhood), and their development began shortly after the arrival of the railroads around 1880, so the area has a lot of rich history," Babb said.
In fitting with the neighborhood's connection with the railroad, the district's boundaries are the sections of Lee, Washington and Pickett Street between Katy Drive and Walnut Street, with the old Katy Train Depot (built in 1896, retired since 1965) as its main landmark on the east end of the community.
"When we worked on getting the train station added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, that was really what inspired the creation of the conservation district," Babb said.
Also on the east side of the neighborhood is another significant landmark, a former Dr Pepper bottling plant on the corner of Washington Street and Katy Drive. Built in 1937 in the Art Moderne style, and closed in the 1970s, the building is now the lovingly maintained home of Alice Reese, the Herald-Banner's own in-house film critic.
Historic homes in the neighborhood that were originally built as residences include the Poole House on the 3500 block of Lee Street, with its eye-catching turrets. It was, at one time, the residence of W.C. Poole, a cotton buyer who purchased the Greenville Morning Herald newspaper in 1914.
Another notable home in the neighborhood is Babb's own house, the Germany House, named for a branch of his family whose surname was Germany.
"My great-great-aunt and uncle, J.P. And Polly Germany, moved into the home on Christmas Day in 1886," Babb said. "The house stayed in the family for 90 years but was sold in 1977."
After Babb discovered the house's connection with his family, he purchased it in 1998 and has grown to love its "Second Empire" architecture— a style often used in horror movies and other popular culture for "haunted" or "creepy" houses.
"A childhood friend, Kirk Dale, and I saw the movie, 'The Ghost and Mr. Chicken,' starring Don Knotts at the Texan Theater," Babb said. "After the movie, Kirk told me there was a house here in Greenville that looked like the mansion in the movie, and it turned out to be my aunt Sybil Germany's house."
One of the challenges of maintaining the Lee-Washington Conservation District is that it contains several vacant lots. In view of this, certain standards for new homes were put in place when the Greenville City Council approved the conservation district in 2006.
"New homes have to have the general look and feel of a historic home," Babb said. "For example, they need a higher pitch than most modern homes and need to have vertical windows instead of horizontal windows. New houses aren't supposed to have front entry garages either."
Recently, signs identifying the conservation district have been put up, which were largely paid for by residents, but the district also received a grant from the Hunt County Historical Commission to help pay for them.
In the future, members of the community hope to host an annual event, similar to Park Street's Christmastime wagon rides and Fourth of July Parade.
"We used to celebrate Greenville Day on March 2, which is also Texas Independence Day, and we're looking at having an annual parade on that day and putting up Texas flags in front of the homes for Texas Independence Day," Babb said.
Those interested in learning more about the history of the neighborhood or helping out with the conservation district can call 903-413-1940.
