Tuesday, June 15, 2010

The Old Stone House (rural Harlan County, NE)

The Old Stone House, between Orleans and Stamford in Harlan County, is rapidly deteriorating and in need of restoration. It is believed to be one of the earliest homes in the county and built of stone from a nearby Indian battle memorial. Preservation plans call for making it a Native American art and heritage center.

Lodgepole Opera House (Lodgepole, NE)

A great piece of Lincoln Highway (U.S. Highway 30) lore the 1911 Lodgepole Opera House has been the setting for a number of social gatherings and cultural events. The foundation is solid on the National Register Property but the building needs to be restored.

Interstate 80 Bi-Centennial Sculptures (Statewide)

Of the eight originals, one has been dismantled and stored. The unique project in 1976 launched the public art careers of several of the artists. Several of the structures are in need of repair and ongoing maintenance. This is the only extant Bicentennial project.

Industrial Arts Building (Lincoln, NE)

The Industrial Arts Building on the University of Nebraska's proposed Innovation Campus (formerly the grounds of the Nebraska State Fair). Built in 1913, this grand exposition space faces demolition as the University seeks to make way for the campus. The building once housed an airplane factory where the airplane Charles Lindbergh learned to fly was constructed.

Historic Grain Elevators (Statewide)

Historic grain elevators statewide are disappearing at an alarming rate, usually at the hands of well-meaning but misdirected volunteer firefighters who say they need the practice. These “prairie cathedrals,” built from the 1880s to the 1920s, range from poor to good condition and are often destroyed "to get rid of the eyesore" without much thought to adaptive reuse.

Carnegie Library (Schuyler, NE)

This building served as the public library from 1911 until the mid-1970s when it became the local historical museum. A water pipe break 10 years ago forced the Historical Society to move out. Repairs and a viable re-use plan are needed.

Burton Bank Building (Orleans, NE)

The Burton Bank Building in was built in 1885 and is significant for its architecture and community history but is suffering from years of neglect. The two-story structure on a prominent downtown corner needs a new owner with money and vision.