Alpine looks to hold onto antiques

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    By CAROLYN MOORE

    The clock is ticking for the city of Alpine to raise the $9600 needed to keep pieces of history in Alpine. The caretakers of the Historical Moyle Memorial Park intend to leave the park to do some traveling but they want to sell the antiques that furnish the park before they go at the end of July.

    The park is built around the home of John Rowe Moyle, one of the early settlers of the area. The stone house built by Moyle and the Indian watchtower used during the Blackhawk war of 1865 are main features of the park. The four acres were donated to the city in 1975 by the Moyle family in hopes that they would turn the area into a historical park.

    Since a small town like Alpine usually doesn’t have the money to restore and refurbish a park like this, Wayne Hardman said he and his wife Linda were chosen in 1990 in what Hardman called an “experiment.” In exchange for their work, the Hardman’s were given a place to live on the grounds and their utilities paid for them by the city.

    Over the years, the Hardmans made improvements to the park like planting grass, building a park pavillion and adding public restrooms. They also bought $9600 of late 19th and early 20th century antiques.

    Now, Hardman said it is time to move on to other things. He and his wife plan to travel for the next five years. But Hardman said he wants to give the city of Alpine a chance to buy the antiques at a discount price.

    “We just want to get the money back that we put into buying the antiques.” Hardman said. If the city is not able to come up with the money, Hardman said he has collectors from back east who are interested in the antiques.

    But some residents of Alpine have been working hard to keep the antiques from leaving the city. Kathy Heiner, Chairman of the Historical Preservation Commission started fund-raising efforts at the end of April. Heiner said, “Alpine is such a charming little town. I think it’s losing the flavor that attracted me here 15 years ago.” Also, in an Alpine newsletter, Mayor Don Watkins and Heiner wrote, “It will be unfortunate to lose these period furnishings as we prepare to celebrate Alpine’s sesquicentennial next year.”

    As of June 5, the city had raised $2702.92 said Heiner. She said she hopes the citizens of Alpine, as well as anyone interested in preserving the park, will continue to step in and help raise the remainder of the money needed. The deadline for the fund-raising is August 1.

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