Published: May 18, 2008 01:07 am            

Historic district’s residents are discovering their roots

By Robert Barron

Staff Writer



Becky and Joe Cummings constructed a new house in Kenwood Historic District when the neighborhood preservation organization was in its infancy.

They are owners of Brown-Cummings Funeral Home, 400 W. Maple, and built their home next to their business. At that time, the neighborhood was rundown and had lost its former glory, Becky Cummings said.

Kenwood is one of Enid’s oldest neighborhoods, and some of the early homes reflect the grandeur of those early days. There were 95 structures in the neighborhood, and most of them had been allowed to deteriorate, some had been turned into apartments, and the area generally was unsafe, she said.

“There were a total of 95 structures, and many of them had been altered so badly they couldn’t be saved,” she said. “We salvaged as much as possible.”

Today, 35 of those homes have been remodeled, keeping their historic roots in mind, and the neighborhood is beginning to acquire some of its lost luster. Enid businessman Dan Wolever was the first to go into the neighborhood with the intent of restoring one of the homes. He purchased a home set for demolition and restored it with the help of his sons.

“Dan gutted the house room by room and restored it,” Cummings said.

Taylor Branstetter was the next to buy a house and restore it. Branstetter removed everything from his home to the walls, repaired plumbing and electricity and remodeled the home, she said.

Local contractor Robbie Bangs purchased and remodeled a home known as the Zacharias house, and when it sold he purchased two others. Bangs now regularly remodels historic houses, in addition to his regular business. Cum-mings said each house he remodels sells sooner than the previous ones did.

“It’s bringing in families. When you have families with children, you can regain the neighborhood. Other houses begin to come up to code,” she said.

Another house was sold when a woman who worked downtown walked through Kenwood during lunch hour, saw a house she liked and eventually bought it, Cummings said.

Enid’s downtown is now a historic area, Cummings said, and with neighboring Kenwood Historic District tourism could increase. If the city of Enid uses block grant funds to build sidewalks, she said, it will help bring the neighborhoods together.

“When we first moved here 21 years ago it wasn’t safe. Now, we can walk in the evening. People with kids want to fix up the parks and have parties. I can talk across the street with my neighbors like normal people,” she said.

Cummings’ grandmother grew up living above the funeral home and told Becky many stories about life in Kenwood when it was a lively part of Enid. By restoring the neighborhood Cummings believes she is restoring part of Enid’s history.

“Our goal is to see families in each house. As soon as you get a family in a house they start caring. If you have two restored houses on a block, pretty soon you will have six more,” she said.