On Monday, April 13, the Plano City Council will again address the fate of Plano's historic Collinwood House, a topic that has been at the center of much debate over the past months.

Late last year, the City of Plano released a query seeking groups interested in restoring, relocating and repairing the home. Currently, the Collinwood House, which was built in 1861, is located at 5400 Windhaven Parkway in Plano. The original, two-story, 1,800-square foot home is in good condition.

A group of historic preservationists, led by the Heritage Farmstead Museum, recently presented the City of Plano with a proposal detailing possible uses for the historic Collinwood House, strongly encouraging the city to leave the home at its current location in Windhaven Park. This proposal and related topics will be discussed on Monday, April 13, during the open meeting at 5:00 p.m., held prior to the Plano City Council meeting at the Plano Municipal Center Council Chamber, 1520 K Ave. in Plano.

"We are asking the public to show up to hear about this proposed partnership with the City of Plano and show support for the preservation of this historic home," said Heritage Farmstead Museum Executive Director M'Lou Hyttinen.  "The City of Plano Parks and Recreation Department has informed the Heritage Farmstead Museum that they do not support our proposal and would still prefer the house to be moved.  If the house is not moved, city officials intend to deconstruct the house and sell off the valuable historic elements of the house.  But we want to continue the conversation to attempt to preserve this home in its current location. The house has been evaluated by historic preservation experts and is eligible for listing on the National Registry of Historic Places."

Hyttinen worked with many historic preservation experts within the city and beyond to develop a comprehensive proposal to the City of Plano, providing a solution to preserve the house at its current location.  The team included Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation, Inc. board member Clint Haggard whose family has lived in Plano since 1856.  Some of Haggard's ancestors once lived in the historic home.

"It’s hard for us to find examples of the past when Texas was at its very beginning," said Haggard.  "In the 1860s, Texas was a like a third-world country. This is an opportunity to preserve a piece of that."

Haggard believes it would be a mistake to relocate the Collinwood home.

"I’ve moved four historic homes and outbuildings to save them from developments over the years," he said.  "One thing I have learned is that once they are moved, they are never the same and neither are the environments that they came from.  It’s also one of the reasons that the Texas Historical Commission and National Register of Historic Places will rarely register a home that has been moved."

Haggard and Hyttinen believe history means a lot to the citizens of Plano and that preserving heritage is vital to maintaining a vibrant and connected community. They hope to convey this sentiment to the Plano City Council and hope to see a good turnout of supporters at Monday’s meeting.