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Greetings to you all in our great city of West Park, as we are embarking on this New
Year! I am thankful for being through the past year with no regrets, no sickness, and
no death. I’m praying that we will be safe, healthy and prosperous throughout this
new year. As you are aware that we have a new variant of Covid-19, let us be
neighborly and get vaccinated. If you have not taken the booster, I urge you too as
soon as you are eligible.
I had the opportunity to visit this historic house in the City of West Park and I was
so amazed of the legacy that we have in our own little city. If you have not yet visited
this particular site, please put it on your bucket list to visit before this year is over. I
had so much fun touring this house with all the historic photos, the pioneers and their
stories, and actual appliances that our parents and gran parents used back in the days.
By visiting this site, it brought back so many memories of when I was a child.
Historical designation. In February 2009, Cynthia Strachan contacted the Broward
County Historical Commission requesting an historical evaluation of her family’s
home. On February 23, 2009, David Baber (Administrator and County Historic
Preservation Officer) and Matthew DeFelice (County Archaeologist) conducted a site
visit to the residence. Their findings were sufficient to start the historical designation
process. Florida Master Site File assigned site number 8BD4546 to the property and the
completed form was submitted to the Florida Master Site File, Division of Historical
Resources, Tallahassee, Florida.
The structure, which remains in much its original form, represents one of few original
structures of the Carver Ranches subdivision, which is now part of the City of West
Park. The site exhibits distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style valuable
for the study of a period of history, the method of construction, or use of indigenous
materials and may include sites with unique or unusual exterior or interior architectural
appearance, design or feature, or is an outstanding example of architecture typical to
Broward County.
This 1941 house is the last of the four display houses that remains in the community. It
has withstood the test of time, termites, and hurricanes. The back yard is often used for
family gatherings and gardening. The trees in the backyard continue to give
nourishment, shade, and an atmosphere of days of the past. There was an outhouse at
the rear of the property; it’s possible the remains are still there.
On October 23, 2012, Broward County Commission designated the Bowles-Strachan
House as a Historical Resource Center. This is a first for Broward County and the City
of West Park. (The Bowles-Strachan House. (n.d.). Retrieved December 17, 2021, from
https://bowlesstrachanhouse.weebly.com/)
Celebrating a West Park Pioneer and WWII Veteran
Meet Mr. Arthur Harris. Mr. Arthur Harris, a WWII Veteran and a West Park
pioneer, had his 101st birthday! God did say “With long life will I satisfy thee”, and
Mr. Harris surely can testify to that. What a blessing! I urge the youth of today to
follow in his ambitious footsteps, and see that at the age of 101, Mr. Harris is still
working and running his business. May you continue to shine like a star and live a longer, healthy, and prosperous life.
I am so happy and delighted to have had the opportunity to meet Mr. Harris, who is
also the grandfather of my ex-coworker, Regina Harris. I want us to continue to be safe as Covid-19 and the different variants are still spreading rampantly in and around our communities. I am fully vaccinated. I am encouraging you to do so at your earliest convenience. Please follow the CDC guidelines. Wear a mask even though you are vaccinated, wash your hands, and social distance. Please remember that in doing so, you are showing love for your family, friends, and neighbors.
Please take advantage of all the events around MLK’s Birthday, Black History
Month, and Valentine’s Day, and all services that the city has taking place such as
Rent and Mortgage assistance, the Tree trimming program, childcare program,
senior program and many more. Last but definitely not least, I want to send out a
huge CONGRATULATIONS to all the graduating class of 2021, which includes
my own child Jessica Frater. Thank you all for your continued support as I enter into my second year on the dies, looking forward for changes in 2022.
You may contact me by email at jsmith@cityofwestpark.org or by phone at 954- 989-2688 ext. 218, or 954-477-2943
