Historic Buildings a Focus of Prattville Leaders

Prattville city officials, police and members of a redevelopment agency say they’re working together to preserve some of the city’s historic buildings.

One of the vacant Continental Eagle buildings caught fire on Aug. 8. Fire Battalion Chief Jay Hawthorne tells the Montgomery Advertiser the blaze was contained to an office.

Tom Newton, Historic Prattville Redevelopment Authority chairman, says the group has been making repairs on the property and fixed part of the building’s roof. Police Chief Mark Thompson says the department will also increase patrols near the vacant buildings.

Mayor Bill Gillespie Jr. says the fire brought to mind a 2002 arson that destroyed the Gurney Building, a three-story 1850s textile mill built by Prattville’s founder, Daniel Pratt. The building was vacant and developers were interested in the property.

 

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