Hot on the heels of listing its first two buildings on the city’s local historic register, the Bowling Green Historic Preservation Commission may soon be including its first house on that list.

In June, Bowling Green Council unanimously approved the placement of both the current police division building on West Wooster Street and Needle Hall at City Park, on the city’s local historic register.

During its meeting last week, historic preservation commission members noted they had received their first owner request for a local historic designation, for 328 E. Court St., owned by Nina Vaughan.

“This is our first one that is owner-initiated,” said Planning Director Heather Sayler, “and knowing Nina personally, she is absolutely in love with the home and the history,” and excited about its inclusion on the local register.

“Just really happy she wants to do this,” Sayler said. “She’s read the ordinance several times and, eyes wide open, she understands that.”

According to documents submitted by Vaughan, the home is built in the four-square style, dating back approximately to 1892 and designed by architect Homer C. Brown. It was the residence of Dr. Willis Maynard Tuller who was elected director of the Bowling Green School Board in 1883 and elected mayor of the city in 1885.

“He was an original member of the BG Natural Gas Company, which was organized in 1885 to provide gas for illuminating and fire proposes for the community,” the document read. “He also served as the physician and surgeon for both railroads that passed through Bowling Green.”

“It definitely deserves to be recognized,” said HPC member Wil Roudebush of the home.

The HPC unanimously set the matter out for a public hearing at the next meeting. After that, the historic designation would be passed on to council which, by ordinance, will send it to the planning commission for a public hearing and recommendation to council. Afterward, council will hold its own public hearing and vote on the matter.

In further business, the HPC spoke with a group of attendees who had been invited based on their interest in being a part of a “friends” group to assist the HPC in its work. The concept of such a group has been in discussion for a number of months.

“We’re delighted to have those of you that are here,” said HPC member John Sampen, “and I know there was a lot of people who couldn’t be here today. … We were hoping that, as friends of the HPC, we could call upon you to volunteer for help in doing some of our inventory work, helping do some research as we choose sites and buildings that we feel would be appropriate for some new signage.

“We’re hoping to get some assistance and some advice from all of you as to what you would like to see our commission do in the future, what kind of buildings we would want to represent, how we might advertise, publicize, we want to make our town continue to look as wonderful as it really is.”

Among the topics initially discussed was potential research into Bowling Green’s reputation as “The Crystal City” in the 19th century due to its number of glass factories. It was noted during the discussion that 2022 has been designated internationally as the Year of Glass.

The HPC and the attendees also continued the ongoing discussion of a project to put up historic interpretive signage at some locations in the city.

“We’re hoping to come up with locations of areas where we might do an interpretive sign,” said HPC Chair Chris Mowen. “People can learn about what kind of history took place there, what building was there, if the building is no longer there. This is a higher priority for us because we have the opportunity to apply for a grant in February, but that would require us to” have information on costs for the signs.

“We’ve been looking at maybe what signs we would want to include in that signage in the grant. That’s where we are,” she said.

Sampen noted that, because grants that the HPC is seeking would involve some matching funds from the city, that they would have to have their budget prepared by October.

They will have to have at least a general idea of size for the signs, said Mowen. She asked the members return for next month’s meeting with ideas about what direction they would like to go with the project.

Also at the meeting, the commission:

• Elected officers for the year. Mowen was elected chair, Sampen was elected vice chair and member Geoff Howes was elected as secretary.

• Set its next meeting for July 26 at 4 p.m.