Save building

May 06, 2008 05:41 am

— In regards to the current difficulties and decisions being faced by the Mifflinburg Borough Council, I believe this presents a wonderful opportunity to teach our children and grandchildren a lesson. The question is what will that lesson be? Will we teach our children that if we don't take care of something, it's no big deal? We'll just toss it aside and get a new one. Or will we teach them to respect the things around them, take care of them and preserve them for future generations. I hope that the people of Mifflinburg will rally to save the borough building.
It is architecturally significant, as the only Italianate building in the town, and perhaps one of the few in the region. It is historically significant as the home of the Young family, who built it 1858. William Young lived there the longest, then his son Harry. William was an entrepreneur in Buggy Town who was a hotel owner, a businessman, chartered the first bank in town, promoted the railroad in Mifflinburg and was a politician. Harry served as mayor of Mifflinburg. The building has served as the borough building since 1930 when Mifflinburg purchased it from the Young family.
As a professional involved with historic preservation, I know first hand that it is neither easy nor cheap to restore and maintain historic structures. But some buildings, and the borough building is one of them, need to be saved. Let's use this opportunity to teach an important history lesson and more important life lesson to our children -- preserve our heritage and maintain our sense of community.
Bronwen A. Sanders, Mifflinburg
n Bronwen Sanders is executive director of the Mifflinburg Buggy Museum.