Fredericksburg is a city steeped in history; more so than most. And, whether by design or fortunate circumstance, we are very privileged to have so much of that history preserved. It is a fundamental part of what makes this city so uniquely appealing to those who live, work, and play here.
Surrounded by such bounty, it’s sometimes easy to take it for granted and forget how essential our preserved past is to sustaining this community’s economic and cultural vitality.
With every demolition, every replaced historic window, and every out-of-scale infill project, we lose a bit more of what makes Fredericksburg special… that draws people and new private investments here… that keeps this city from becoming nothing more than another rest stop off I-95.
More and more, such losses—and the continuing erosion of our community’s historic fabric—are shrugged off as unavoidable or sometimes even necessary; a sacrifice in the name of economic growth.
Enough is enough—if we aren’t careful we will not have the elements left to call it a Downtown Historic District.
Then where will we be? The lack of these historic resources will affect our Heritage Tourism, downtown economic situation, and the quality of living for citizens in the surrounding area.
Once it is gone, it is gone forever.
What are we as a community going to do about it? HFFI will continue to fight inappropriate construction and alterations; we will speak up for the neglected historic homes and contribute to the conversations at City Hall. But we can only do so much with our limited resources, volunteers, and funds.
Each person that lives, works and enjoys Fredericksburg and its history must speak up and let our City Council know what is important to them.
Contact your representative or a member of council and let them know what you value in Fredericksburg.
Let us at HFFI know what you want us to stand up and speak for.
Join us at HFFI working to stay abreast of all preservation issues, send a clear message, and preserve our valuable cultural resources.
Together we can keep Fredericksburg Historic.
Editor’s Note: Editor’s Note: Op-Eds are printed as a service to the community and may not necessarily represent the views of Fredericksburg.Today. Editorials are published as submitted.
For more information about the Historic Fredericksburg Foundation, visit their website and Facebook page.
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