While taking a stroll with her father in Louisville, Ky., a young Sheila Spurgeon noticed a three-story building that was burned. She could see straight through the charred facade and thought, "Somebody needs to do something. Why doesn't someone save this building?”
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Now 54, the lifelong advocate of historical buildings and homes hopes to do her part to preserve some of Oklahoma's historic places as the new executive director of Preservation Oklahoma Inc.
Spurgeon traveled "all over the U.S. because my dad was a chaplain in the Army. I would see buildings all over the country that were in a sad state of disrepair, and Oklahoma is no different in that regard,” she said.
Her new role makes her a leader in preserving Oklahoma's historical places.
"I want to increase the statewide presence of Preservation Oklahoma and provide public education programs that are related to advocacy,” Spurgeon said. "The trend is to tear down buildings and replace them with something new.”
She pointed to the Gold Dome as one example in Oklahoma City where older, historic buildings can still be used. The Gold Dome formerly housed Citizens State Bank and was scheduled to be demolished in 2001. After efforts by Preservation Oklahoma Inc. and Dr. Irene Lam — who bought the property in 2002 — it now holds an Asian cultural center, a restaurant, and retail and office spaces, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.
A nonprofit organization, Preservation Oklahoma gets its funding through memberships and donations from community organizations like the Oklahoma City Community Foundation and the Kirkpatrick Family Fund among many others, Spurgeon said.
Spurgeon owns two historical homes, both built around 1900.
One is in Ponca City's Gateway Historic District and the other in the Mesta Park Historical Neighborhood in Oklahoma City.
For more information about Preservation Oklahoma or to make a donation to the organization, visit their Web site at www.preserveok.org or call 525-5325.
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Spurgeon's background
Sheila Spurgeon earned bachelor's and master's degrees in special education from what is now the University of Central Oklahoma. She received her doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Oklahoma.
She taught at five universities — OU, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Phillips University, Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Oklahoma City University — and at Rancho Village Elementary in the Oklahoma City Public Schools.
Spurgeon was a volunteer at the Overholser Mansion for a year before being appointed to her current position.
Protecting a building
How can someone protect a building being threatened by neglect or new developments?
Find out who owns the property and what their plans are for it. Contact your city's planning department to find out if the building is in a designated historic district. Contact the local historical society or a museum to try and mobilize support for the building and to see who is interested in protecting old buildings in the community.
Source: Preservation Oklahoma Inc.
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Leave a comment. Log in below or sign up (it's free).Editor's note: It is not our intent to offer comments on crime or fatality stories.