The process of applying and obtaining a historic highway marker is extensive. The paperwork and completion of the application is one small part of it. The amount of research that goes into this process is immeasurable. With this blog, you can follow the application process for a historic highway marker from the filing of paperwork, to the hearing for whether the marker will go up, if it is accepted, to the process and instillation of the marker. Over the next several months we will update the public on the status of the marker process.
In the Fall of 2012, Guilford College Professor Alex Stoesen submitted an application to the North Carolina Historical Highway Committee in an attempt to get the site of the Central Carolina Convalescent Hospital officially marked. The application was, unfortunately, denied, but this action brought much-needed attention back to the largely forgotten location. The 2017-2019 Museum Studies class was given the opportunity to help accomplish this task during their three-semester long project focused on the history of the site. The information uncovered revealed a past comprised of both pride and pain, of community generosity and fortitude pitted against hateful ignorance and harm. What became abundantly clear in the midst of the project was that Professor Stoesen was right in that the site was one that deserved to be marked, and the Guilford community agreed.
The work on a new Historical Highway Marker application began in the Fall of 2018 as part of the HIS 633-01: Community History Practicum class. Three smaller projects were worked on simultaneously during the class: organizing three community events, designing an exhibit and website for the project, and applying for the Historical Highway Marker. The class was broken into groups of three to focus on each project component. With the application due date set at November 01, 2018, the marker group set up a detailed scheduling plan to outline the semester’s work. The schedule was divided into a Preliminary Planning Stage, Design Stage, and Production Stage to best facilitate research and editing needs.
Applying for a North Carolina Historic Highway Marker has been a useful exercise in flexibility, time management, and tough decision-making. At the beginning of the project, the original content plan was altered, and several re-writes were required, which somewhat threw off the semester schedule. Flexibility in content and planning was essential in building the best case for a marker, as well as a willingness to accept and apply criticism and suggestions. Careful time management was also required to best utilize the short amount of time and get in as much research and as many edits as possible. Our application team became very familiar with having to prioritize material and suggestions in a timely manner, which required tough decision-making skills and group compromise. On Thursday, Nov 01 our application for a Historic Highway Marker commemorating the Central Carolina Convalescent Hospital was officially submitted! After several intense editing sessions, last-minute double-checking of every fact and source, and a few missed hours of sleep, the application was finally completed and sent in to be considered by the North Carolina Historic Highway Marker Committee.
During the course of the project, the marker group was lucky enough to have several contacts at UNCG and other local organizations who were willing to help with the application. Dr. Lisa Tolbert, a professor at UNCG was a previous member of the NC Historical Highway Marker Committee and was gracious enough to assist with editing and offer advice. We also received significant help from Dr. Anne Parsons, the advising professor for the project, Dr. Torren Gatson, Dr. Thomas Jackson, and Ainsley Wegner, a current NC Historical Highway Marker Committee member, among others. Toward the very end of the project, we also reached out to community members Ruth Jobe and William Tankersley III who were kind enough to write letters of support for the application.
Overall, the application process was beneficial project in more ways than one. We are very much looking forward to attending the Dec 18 North Carolina Historic Highway Marker Committee meeting and are optimistic on the application's chances of being approved! Even if the application is not approved, however, we are proud of the work put into the application and are confident that the site will get the signage it deserves in due time.