Forum: Save Hoxsie House for Acme

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Amy Kerr Hardin

November 29, 2011

By Amy Kerr Hardin ---- The Record Eagle Mon Feb 13, 2012, 10:53 AM EST

There is a cultural gem nestled in Acme’s new shoreline park. It’s one of the few historic structures not razed to make way for strip malls and gas stations. It’s Hoxsie House, built in 1875 by the founder of Acme, Leonard Hoxsie.

Hoxsie House is under imminent threat of demolition. The Acme Township Board is about to decide the fate of Acme’s heritage.

Acme, a community of 155 years, is about the same age as Elk Rapids. Years ago, with an eye to the future and a reverence for the past, the people of Elk Rapids had the foresight to preserve their unique history through Island House, a beautiful landmark structure similar to Acme’s Hoxsie House. Its enduring presence defines their community, then and now, and for untold generations to come.

The idea of any public official suggesting the demolition of Island House to create 1,600 square feet of additional parkland would be ludicrous; yet in Acme there are those who think a small patch of sod is worth more than an irreplaceable historic landmark.

Acme should take a lesson from her sister community, which understands the value of its unique culture is to be found in chronological connectivity. They know tangible evidence of their history serves as a touchstone for a strong and vibrant community. They would never tear down Island House just to gain a few extra square feet of open space.

The Acme Master Plan provides policy guidance on this: “… particular goals may dominate and others disappear, allowing an unbalanced system of decision-making where essential considerations may be left out entirely. Each act by a developer, landowner, resident, or township official should be based upon consideration of what has occurred before and what will be the consequences of a proposed action. Such actions should meet and promote the values of the community.”

In short, it’s the board’s responsibility to prevent one community value from trampling another. Parkland must not trump preservation.

Acme is fortunate to have several significant shoreline natural areas within its borders. They are sizable pristine tracts of land that remain largely untouched by humanity. We must resist the temptation to sequester every last square foot of our public land to the monoculture of “natural areas,” effectively fencing them off from their human story.

Historic structures are treated with heightened respect within their communities. Unlike modern municipal facilities that invite crime, vandalism and graffiti, historic buildings remain immune to this kind of abuse. This profoundly illustrates the reverence people have for their shared human history.

To demolish Hoxsie House would be to cheat our culture of its past. Hoxsie House will provide generations of Acme residents and visitors with a meaningful sense of time and place.

Preservation of Hoxsie House is a vital duty of this Acme Township Board. Their decision will either be lauded through history or condemned as woefully shortsighted. We can only hope they understand that important historic structures are culturally nourishing and enriching and, once gone, can never be replaced.

About the author: Amy Kerr Hardin has been an Acme resident for 30 years. She is one of the founding officers of Acme Heritage Society, a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of Acme’s history and traditions.

About the forum: The forum is a periodic column of opinion written by Record-Eagle readers in their areas of interest or expertise. Submissions of 500 words or less may be made by emailing letters@record-eagle.com. Please include biographical information and a photo.