The city of Bastrop will begin the process of acquiring property on Church Street, where the Allen-Bell House has remained since 1855. During a July 28 city council session, a unanimous vote marked the initial phase toward restoring the historic landmark.
Looking back
The Allen-Bell House stands as one of the 130-plus historic landmarks in Bastrop—which prides itself as the "Most Historic Small Town in Texas.” The house is legally recognized as a historic landmark through the National Register of Historic Places, the State of Texas Historical Commission and the City of Bastrop Landmark Homes.
The local perspective
“It is more than an old house. It is a tangible connection to the people, craftsmanship and history that shape Bastrop,” Bastrop Museum and Visitor Center board member Lee Ann Calaway said. “Demolishing one of our most historically significant homes would not simply remove a building. It would erase an irreplaceable piece of our community story.”
Another thing
The council also approved an amendment to the city’s code of ordinances that, according to the meeting agenda, will make penalties harsher for anyone who tears down all or part of a historic building without permits. Before the amendment, there was a minimal, one-time fee for demolition without permission.
“Property owners, developers, preservationists, city leaders, and our community [can] work together to protect the places that define Bastrop while continuing to move our city forward,” Lee Ann Calaway said.
