Historical society opposes Old Town move

April 8, 2005

JOEL DAVIDSON/Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA - The Wasilla-Knik Historical Society is firmly set against an idea presented to them, earlier this winter, by Wasilla Mayor Dianne M. Keller, to move the Dorothy Page Museum and several historical buildings from their current downtown locations near the Wasilla Public Library.

Historical Society President LeRoi Heaven said it's important that the old buildings, including the Old Wasilla School and the original Herning-Teeland-Mead House, remain where they are, near their original sites.

Keller's idea, however, is to consolidate the buildings onto another area, away from Main Street, to make room for a project that could possibly house a theater, library and cultural center, all downtown.

At this point, Keller said her idea is just that, an idea. She said community input and discussion would need to take place before any concrete proposals move forward, but she wants to get something in writing by the next budget cycle.

"The plan would be to invite business people, historical society people and get them to come to the table to look at ideas," she said. "I believe the community should tell the government what they want."

Heaven says the historical society just wants to preserve old Wasilla.

"They need to leave this part of town alone," Heaven said during the monthly historical society meeting. "This is the original culture. It's the only thing left of old Wasilla. To put a cultural center on this block would wipe everything out. I'm totally against that."

Heaven said the museum, the former Wasilla Com-munity Hall, is the most important building on the entire lot because it still sits on its original foundation and is listed on the National Historic Register.

The Teeland/Herning Building is another important structure, Heaven said. It is currently located on the same block as the museum and Old Town Site and is owned by the historical society.

The Herning building was moved from its original location on the corner of Main Street and the Parks Highway about 10 years ago, when a developer built a Tesoro gas station on the property.

Heaven said the historical society has no plans to move the Herning building again.

The other historic buildings that make up the Old Wasilla Town Site were moved to their current location behind the museum in the early 1980s as developers purchased property on and around Wasilla's Main Street.

As land was developed, the old buildings were salvaged by moving them behind the museum, a few blocks from their original foundations.

"The reason we moved them here is that there was no place to put them and they were all being destroyed," Heaven said. "The only way to save the buildings was to move them. Many of the buildings were lost before we started moving them."

Wasilla now owns the old buildings and museum as well as the land they sit on. Heaven said the historical society suggested to Keller that the city buy another parcel of land across the street from the museum and put a cultural center there instead of moving the old buildings.

Keller said she's open to the idea, but said purchasing the property would take some research. "If the historical society wants us to buy lots, then I'd want them to find the cost for the scope of the work," she said.

Keller added that nothing will happen if the city doesn't develop a plan.

"My intention is to ask the state with help for a plan," she said. "My term is up in October. In the following budget cycle, if I'm re-elected, I'd like to see the city make a commitment to a plan."