HISTORY: Honor local legacies

My family has lived in Coeur d’Alene since 1936. Unlike many other communities across the country, this community has shown little interest in preserving the buildings of the past. Other towns and cities have used their past and their old buildings to help stimulate their local economy and emphasize their uniqueness. Do we risk becoming a generic town with shining new tin sheds and boxy brick buildings? Such disregard for these ties to our past do have permanent harm to the unity and cohesion of the community. Many of us can remember some of those buildings that were torn down, their unique architecture and how their existence today might fit our present day needs. What is progress? Recently developers have upgraded the Elks and Wiggets, Bravo!

Having said that, a family has decided to demolish the elegant home at 805 E. Sherman. This home has represented this town for more than a hundred years and could for another hundred years if the family had the foresight of upgrading this elegant beauty versus destroying. Separately or collectively, the destruction of these buildings would diminish the unique character of our town. It may be a direction that many in this community would choose not to take. It is disrespectful to our past and disrespectful to our future, only satisfying the present immediate needs and wants.

Let’s all encourage the family to upgrade this elegant piece of history, have the mind-set as they did with the Elks and Wiggets to accommodate both the 20th and 21st century.

PATRICK GORMAN

Dalton Gardens