By Jesse Wood
March 19, 2014. The Southern Appalachian Historical Association, producer of “Horn in the West,” is ecstatic that the Boone Town Council granted the organization a license for 2014 to allow the outdoor drama to take place for the 63rd consecutive year at the town-owned Daniel Boone Park in Boone, SAHA Vice Chair Greg Williams said on Wednesday morning.
The Boone Town Council addressed this item at its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Tuesday night. The Cultural Resources Advisory Board recommended Tuesday’s vote by council in early March.
SAHA now has a two-week deadline to have a repair and demolition plan in place approved by Town Manager Greg Young.
On Tuesday, the Boone Town Council also approved of demolition and repairs to Horn in the West structures that were recommended by town staff in October. The work is to be done at the discretion of Boone Planning and Inspections department and Town Manager Greg Young, and up to $20,000 is authorized for the town to complete demolition. SAHA must follow procedures outlined in the license agreement and work through Cultural Resources Director Pilar Fotta and cooperatively with Young and planning and inspections staff, according to the approved motion provided by Deputy Town Clerk Christine Pope on Wednesday.
Williams said now that a license agreement is in place, SAHA can begin with the most immediate improvement – electrical repairs to the property – and then begin demolishing the PIT building, among other repairs. Williams added that SAHA has the funds to pay for the repairs and that Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation is even donating labor and materials.
“We are ecstatic and moving forward,” Williams said.
SAHA recently announced that Teresa Lee, a long-time supporter of SAHA and ASU professor, is the director for the upcoming season and that tweaks to the new script will make the play more appealing to a modern audience. Click here to read about Lee and changes to the play.