Selma-Dallas County Historic Preservation Commission

Selma-Dallas County Historic Preservation Commission
Name	Selma-Dallas County Historic Preservation Commission
Formation	1970s
Type	Historic preservation commission
Headquarters	Selma, Alabama
Region served	Dallas County, Alabama
Leader title	Chair
Leader name	(vacant)
Website	(official)

Selma-Dallas County Historic Preservation Commission is a local preservation body serving Selma, Alabama and Dallas County, Alabama, focusing on the identification, protection, and stewardship of historic resources within the county. Operating within the context of federal and state preservation statutes, the commission interfaces with entities such as the National Park Service, the Alabama Historical Commission, the Historic American Buildings Survey, and local civic organizations including the Selma-Dallas County Chamber of Commerce and the Selma Banner-News. Its activities intersect with landmark sites and movements associated with the Selma to Montgomery marches, Edmund Pettus Bridge, and the Civil Rights Movement.

History

The commission traces origins to preservation trends following the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, responses to threats at sites like Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church, and initiatives similar to efforts around Lowndes County Freedom Organization locations. Early collaborations involved the Alabama Historical Commission and national programs such as the Historic American Buildings Survey and the National Register of Historic Places nominations for districts including the Selma Historic District and the Old Town Historic District (Selma). Over decades the commission worked amid regional dynamics tied to Austin Alchemy House restorations, the preservation debates surrounding Sydney Lanier Monument (historic)-era structures, and the aftermath of events like the Bloody Sunday (1965) confrontations. The commission’s timeline includes coordination with federal actors such as the National Endowment for the Humanities, engagement with philanthropic partners including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and public history collaborations involving the Rosa Parks Museum and the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute.

Mission and Legal Authority

The commission’s mission aligns with provisions derived from the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 while operating under state enabling legislation administered by the Alabama Historical Commission and municipal ordinances enacted by the City of Selma, Alabama government. It exercises regulatory review comparable to design review practices used by bodies like the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission and consults under Section 106 frameworks administered by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The commission’s authority includes local landmark designation, historic district regulation, and certificate of appropriateness processes comparable to precedent cases reviewed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and guided by Secretary of the Interior Standards promulgated by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Programs and Activities

Programs include survey and inventory projects modeled on the Historic American Engineering Record, educational workshops similar to offerings from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and technical assistance initiatives akin to those run by the National Park Service. Activities encompass preparation of National Register nominations for properties comparable to Sturdivant Hall and Selma Union Depot, heritage tourism coordination with the Alabama Tourism Department, and community outreach in partnership with organizations such as the Selma Interreligious Community Outreach and the Selma-Dallas County Public Library. The commission administers design review processes, hosts walking tours reminiscent of programs by the Tuskegee History Center, and assists restoration projects that draw on tax incentive mechanisms associated with the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program.

Notable Preservation Projects

Notable projects have included stewardship and nomination work for properties analogous to Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church, Sturdivant Hall, and the Old Depot Museum (Selma), rehabilitation of residential resources characteristic of the Selma Residential Historic Districts, and conservation plans for streetscapes along corridors including Water Avenue (Selma) and Broad Street (Selma). The commission participated in adaptive reuse efforts mirroring successes at Moseley Baker House-type sites, façade restoration programs like those undertaken in Montgomery, Alabama, and emergency stabilization for buildings after events similar to severe weather impacts recorded in Alabama tornado outbreaks. Collaborative projects involved partners such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Alabama Historical Commission, and academic programs at University of Alabama and Auburn University for documentation, research, and training.

Organizational Structure

The commission is composed of appointed members drawn from local constituencies, reflecting appointment practices used by the City of Selma, Alabama mayor and council and advisory patterns observed in bodies like the Birmingham Landmarks Commission. Its organizational framework includes committees for nominations, education, and design review, and staff liaisons from municipal planning departments and the Alabama Historical Commission. The commission coordinates with regional entities such as the Selma-Dallas County Historical and Genealogical Society, municipal departments like Selma Planning Department and Selma Public Works, and national preservation networks including the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions.

Funding and Grants

Funding sources mirror common preservation finance models including municipal budget appropriations, grants from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, project support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and state grants administered by the Alabama Historical Commission. The commission supports applications for federal tax credits under the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program, grant proposals to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and philanthropic contributions from foundations similar to the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Ford Foundation. Collaborative funding partnerships have involved the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for neighborhood revitalization and the Economic Development Administration for downtown rehabilitation initiatives.

Category:Historic preservation in Alabama Category:Selma, Alabama