(Written for the Copiah County Courier and The Meteor February 2, 2019)
The Copiah County Historical & Genealogical Society recently installed a plaque on the home of Dr. Ted Dear in celebration of his home being 145 years old and in honor of it being listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
A celebration took place at the home before Christmas and Mayor Shirley Sandifer of Hazlehurst presented a framed proclamation from the city to Dear. The proclamation recognizes Odonata, the name Dear chose which means “dragonfly”, as being on the National Register of Historic Places, recognizes his contributions to the community, and recognizes that his home is significant in American history and honored by the historic society.
Dear bought the Queen Anne structure in 2014 as a permanent home and retirement project. The structure had been neglected for many years and the interior was riddled with poor design choices. There was no electricity, plumbing, nor fixtures, and the rooms were painted atrocious colors, but it had good bones and was downtown, two things Dear was looking for.
Built in 1873 for the Loeb family, Odonata has had only three owners. Many original features were retained by Dear such as the beautiful front door which he found on the back of the house, floor to ceiling windows and shutters, transoms, tiled fireplace surrounds, and wood floors. These original features are what drew him to the house. He could see it had a lot of potential, but knew it would be neither quick nor easy..
After several years, working around the exterior and then the interior, room by room, the house is coming back to life. He has remodeled the bathrooms, hung chandeliers, resurrected the original tiled fireplaces, painted, repaired windows, enclosed a sunroom, built a deck, filled in the dilapidated pool, and landscaped. He has spent countless hours reviving Odonata and has fun entertaining guests along the way.
Any property listed as part of a national historic district or any home listed individually on the National Register of Historic Places, is eligible to install a National Register plaque such as the one Dear had installed. The historical society will be glad to assist anyone who would like to order one. The cost for a bronze plaque is $175, or with installation $200.
The historical society hopes that many more properties owners will place plaques on their properties in the historic districts of Crystal Springs, Gallman, and Hazlehurst, and any individual properties listed on the register such as the recently purchased Huber-Messer house in Crystal Springs. Being on the National Register is an honor and gives recognition to the architectural integrity of properties. Contact the historical society at CCHGS39059@gmail.com for more information.
