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September 12, 2012

The Suwannee Scribbler - Protecting our past

Jim Holmes Suwannee Democrat The Suwannee Democrat Wed Sep 12, 2012, 09:23 AM EDT

Live Oak — Suwannee County doesn’t have a huge number of what I would call memorable public buildings. If you are a history buff like me, you’re familiar with the type of structures about which I’m speaking.

They are buildings that jump out at you, even if you are a stranger in town or a brand new resident. When you drive or walk by, you find yourself staring and saying, “Wow! I wish I could have seen that place in its heyday!” Or, “Isn’t it wonderful such a great old landmark has been renovated?”

But many of the county’s once memorial public buildings have disappeared and are totally forgotten today…unless you take the time to browse through local history books, like those written by Eric Musgrove, or spend some time studying the walls when you sip your next malt at our Dairy Queen.

Beautiful buildings like the Suwannee Springs Hotel or the statuesque Masonic Lodge in downtown Live Oak are no more.

Over the years, both flood and fire have claimed their share of such structures. Condemnation through neglect has also played a role, as has the simple economics of business…you know, where the location of a piece of real estate trumps any historic merit or value.

Mind you, Suwannee County is not totally without such buildings. Our courthouse, the old, but restored, city hall and Live Oak’s railroad station all make my short list.

But then, so does our post office, which was built in 1915 and occupied the following year.

In my opinion, it’s a marvelous, architecturally-interesting building deserving of tender loving care.

Once, I was a little concerned about its long-term future. Six years ago, when my wife and I first moved to Live Oak, it was scheduled to be abandoned and replaced with a new state-of-the-art facility to be constructed between Walmart and Lowe’s.

Due to the huge financial woes of the postal service, those capital outlay plans have since been scrubbed, meaning our Live Oak Post Office will remain an important aspect of our historic central business district.

To me, that’s great! Our downtown needs all the foot and car traffic it can get and the post office, despite the impacts of the Internet, still provides a significant share.

The even better news is that since Live Oak’s postal operations are going to remain at their current location for the foreseeable future, our post office soon will be getting an overdue facelift. Apparently the specifics are still being ironed out, but the post office’s current Officer in Charge, Blair Beaty, assures me, things will be a happenin’.

Some interior technical work has already begun, says Beaty. More is planned.

Among the changes; the exterior is to be refurbished, including the polishing of marble areas and the removal of paint from those magnificent two-story windows that dominate the building’s front.

Blair is also keeping his fingers crossed that the lobby will see its false ceiling eliminated, allowing the area to take on a more historically accurate appearance, as well as one that is more visually impressive.

He is also hopeful that the practical - but in my opinion, ugly pipe handrails serving the front steps - will be replaced with true wrought iron railings. That would certainly be an improvement!

When will all the work be completed? No one seems to know for sure. Beaty however is guestimating the entire facelift will take about six-months to complete.

For me, and I’m sure other like-minded, local history buffs, these welcomed changes can’t come quick enough.

Jim lives in Live Oak.

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