Progress vs. History

When soldiers started returning home after World War II, Evansville looked to public housing. A lots changed since then, but one set of government housing hasnt. And that is the center of a debate between government officials and city residents. Some want to preserve the past while others want development. Silvia Tapp grew up in the heart of Evansville in an area known as the Erie housing projects. Years ago it was vibrant and full of life, but now it is overgrown and abandoned. Tapp says she goes through pictures all the time and never wants to forget the good times she and hundreds of other families had at Erie. Bill miller is a community leader in downtown Evansville with a life of achievements to long to list. He is also the a docent at the Evansville African American museum. Whats most important to him about the abandoned buildings is all the displaced families. Miller says progress needs to be made and families need affordable housing as soon as possible.He says the historical reference at Erie could be indicate by a plaque or having the preservation society donate a room in the museum. Tapp agrees with miller and says getting families back into homes is the issue. She says her highest hope is that once they do rebuild Erie, the government will give the same type of life skills training and services she had growing up. The next step in determining the fate of the Erie housing projects is to send the issue before the historic preservation society in Washington D.C..