Not In My Backyard

First, some definitions:

Newcomer – what you are until the last person who remembers when you moved here is dead.

Old-timer – those who remember how it was before the newcomers arrived on the scene and began passing judgment on just about everything

An Oysterville newcomer wrote a letter to the Chinook Observer this week.   Among the ‘facts’ it presented were a number of half-truths, at least one untruth, and some serious sins of omission. I briefly considered writing a rebuttal but decided that a pissing contest is less than dignified and, rather than putting out the flames, it would no doubt draw further attention to Oysterville… and not in a good way.

From My Perspective

Instead, I just want to go on record, once again, in commending the County for what they do manage to do for Oysterville.  First and foremost was the creation (back in 1980) of the County Historic District which provides a buffer between the National Historic District and “modern encroachments” such as mobile homes and trailers and neon lights.  So far, so good.  But it’s not a perfect world.

I, too, lament the fact that not all our Oysterville residents follow the architectural guidelines referenced by the ordinance. But, as far as I know, there isn’t anyone in town, other than that letter writer, who has a collapsed barn in their back yard. I don’t remember any effort to save it and I certainly haven’t heard it acknowledged by the homeowner. Interestingly, none of the neighbors has pointed fingers or name-called or notified the preservation police about that barn.

One other thing. That letter in the Observer says With only about 10 of the historic buildings listed in the National Register nomination surviving, the District’s viability is in question. What it doesn’t say is that there were only 12 primary structures listed in the first place. There were also two secondary structures listed. So that makes fourteen in all and, of those, we’ve lost two. By my math, that makes 12 still standing. Not bad for one year shy of 40 since we were listed.

Oysterville Streetscape

The District’s “viability” is in question because the letter-writer is on a mission. The question many of us ask is “Why?” Why would you buy a second home in an area you say you love and then proceed to criticize everything and everyone in town – from the color we paint our buildings to the direction we dig our flower beds? And why would you go out of your way to misrepresent both Village and County to an advocacy group to get us listed on the 100 most endangered historic sites in the State?

At the end of the day, Oysterville is still special. Visitors still revel in the magical feeling that comes over them when they take that right hand fork in the road and enter the National Historic District. Just as you can’t legislate good sense, you can’t un-legislate charm or character or history.            Just raise your hand if you agree.