1983-09-21 Public Hearing and Regular Meeting

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. e e . J/ e e ....-::: - " - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - TO: CITY OF LAPORTE BOARD OF INSPECTION FROM: John M. Stout - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Background. The log house at 719 S. Blackwell is one of the oldest log houses in East Harris County. Since 'we bought it we have purchased all of the adjacent land we could get. The house has some historical significance. It was built over the spot where the soldiers were mustered out of service after the battle of San Jacinto. We used to have many with metl detectors coming by to try to find something of value, from our historical past. But of more significance is the fact that it was in this house that the first book to leave our planet for another celestial body (the moon) was r made. Aerospace Ministries has designated this house as an historical place. Through the Vice President who was one of the committee members responsible for putting the bible on the moon, Aerospace Ministries is hoping that this would become some sort of national land mark. (The old landmark down by sylvian beach, which burned a few years ago, just about did away of all of the landmarks that LaPorte has to offer, except for that gastly looking terminal building-~hat someone moved down by the park.) Nevertheless, in spite of its historical significance, the various hurricanes which have come through LaPorte has taken its tole. For years we have fought with the city to construct an adequate deep drainage ditch along the road, but have failed. During Hurricane Carla water entered the house. We were in the house during another storm when two feet of water came into the house. Two years ago, when we were last in LaPorte, or the beginning of last year, we made three decisions related to the structure. (1) we would bring fill into the adjacent lots so that, if the house were reconstructed for historical purposes it would be at a elevation that it would. be on a solid foundation, and not suffer the pains it has suffered in the past. (2)We would reconstruct the fence around the place, and we would give to Aerospace Ministries the building as an historical object, if they wanted it. When we were there we began reconstructing the fense around the place, to conform to the spot where the ortginal wire fence had gone around the adjacent lots and the lots where the house stands. The front part was not completed, because about 31,000 cubit feet of fill had to be brought into the lots. &-1