Elvis Allen appointed head of Historical Commission goal setting
by Sibyl Creasey

The regular meeting of the Van Zandt County Historical Commission was held on Tuesday, July 17, 2007, at the commission office in the courthouse annex in Canton. Chairman Dr. Rollin Sininger presided over the meeting attended by Lawrence Greer, Ruth Abbott, Mable Cook, Dorothy Wright, Karen Asher, Lynn Kitchens, Elvis Allen, Cheryl Vaughn and Sibyl Creasey.

Commission member Cheryl Vaughn who has been appointed as courthouse liaison and designate reported that she is currently working very closely with County Judge Rhita Koches on certain elements of county courthouse restorations. Both are working with the state as far as courthouse restoration guidelines are concerned. Certain items have to be accomplished before grant eligibility can be achieved.

Elvis Allen was appointed to head a committee to investigate and recommend a set of future goals for the commission. These will be brought before the commission for discussion at a later date. He also reported on the progress of three cemeteries that state historical designations have been applied for. These are Mt. Pisgah, Union Grove and Wade-Boxley cemeteries.

Those wishing to have their family or community cemetery be designated historic by the state in preparation for a state approved historic marker should contact the Van Zandt County Historical Commission. The state only accepts applications for historic designations and historic markers from county historic commissions.

The next historic commission meeting will be on Tuesday, August 21, at 1 p.m. at the commission office in the courthouse annex in Canton. For further information on commission activities, contact Rollin Sininger at 903-567-6657.