Five things to watch at Thursday’s city council meetings
![gavel[1]](https://cityofcs.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/gavel1.jpg?w=270&h=203)
By Colin Killian, Communications Manager
The College Station City Council gathers Thursday at city hall for its final workshop (5:30 p.m.) and regular (7 p.m.) meetings of 2014. Here are five items to watch:
- Project HOLD: The council will receive a workshop presentation about Project HOLD, the city’s online history database.
- Capital Projects: The council will hear a workshop update on the city’s capital project needs.
- Rock Prairie Road Rehabilitation: The council will consider a $1.4 million contract for the Rock Prairie Road Rehabilitation Project, which would include base repair, pavement rehabilitation and replacement of drainage culverts between Stone Brook Drive and Fitch Parkway.
- Parking Removal on Regal Row, Castlebrook: After a public hearing, the council will consider removing stopping, standing and parking along Regal Row and Castlebrook Drive to address safety concerns.
- Bond Committee Appointments: The council will appoint 23 members to the 2015 Bond Citizen Advisory Committee to help identify and prioritize potential capital improvement projects to be considered by voters in the November 2015 bond election.
CS’s oral history project preserves veterans’ stories
You probably know the City of College Station has a lot of its history preserved in the form of documents, maps and photos. But it may surprise you that we’ve also preserved our history by recording the stories of the people who lived it.
The city’s online historic database, Project HOLD, has a large collection of stories gathered through interviews with people who remember the city’s early days. The oral history collection focuses on the stories of our community’s veterans.
Mayor Hervey laid foundation for growing community
James B. “Dick” Hervey completed his term as College Station’s sixth mayor some 40 years ago, but the impact he made on our rapidly expanding community shouldn’t be underestimated. Mr. Hervey, who died Wednesday at the age of 93, had been the city’s oldest surviving mayor.
A 1942 graduate of Texas A&M, the Greenville native won a special election in 1971 and was the first College Station mayor to have business affiliations. He played a key role in the city’s growth and development, not only as mayor but through his association with Community Savings and Loan.
Live Blog: Thursday’s city council meetings (Jan. 23)
This is a live blog from the College Station City Council’s workshop and regular meetings on Thursday, Jan. 23. It’s not the official minutes.
Both meetings are being broadcast live on Suddenlink Channel 19 and can also be watched online. An archive of previous council meetings is available on the website.
6:12 p.m.
The workshop meeting has started.
6:30 p.m.
Historic Preservation Committee Report
HPC Chair Linda Harvell updated the council on the committee’s activities in 2013, including the 75th Anniversary event at the George Bush Library. She said a final expense report for the city’s 75th anniversary activities will be presented to council at a later date with recommendations for the use of any remaining funds. Harvell also presented the committee’s recommendations for 2014 HPC programs.
History Blog: Masonic Lodge Hall, Rudder Center Dedications
NOTE: 2013 marks the City of College Station’s 75th year as an incorporated city. In recognition, we’ve highlighted some interesting moments from our past.
This blog was authored by Henry Mayo, a surveyor and long-time resident of the Bryan-College Station area. As a surveyor and historian, Henry retrieves information from local, state and national resources to assemble history-themed messages for email subscribers in a series titled “This Week in Brazos County History.” To subscribe to Henry’s email series, click here.
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NEW MASONIC LODGE HALL DEDICATED (Nov. 21, 1952)
The item on the left from The Eagle on Nov. 20, 1952 tells of the planned open house and dedication ceremony to take place the following days for the new Masonic Lodge Hall.
The photos on the right were taken a few months ago, when I noticed the Masonic cornerstone of the building on North Texas Avenue at 18th 
Street. The cornerstone is carved “Laid October 20, 1952,” but apparently things didn’t go on schedule and the ceremony was delayed one month.
“Here in 1938” signs highlight homes of historical significance
You may have noticed “Here in 1938” yard signs in front of several College Station homes, especially in the Southside area. These are homes that existed when College Station was incorporated as a city in 1938, and many have historical markers.
As the city celebrates its 75th anniversary, it’s important to recognize these historical places and the significant role that they played in our city’s history. While these are by no means the only houses here at that time, they are a good representation of homes from that era.
