From L-R,
HPC Commissioner -
Liaison Alonzo B. Moore, Jr., Sue Morrison, Newburgh
Town Council Member Shari Sherman, Senator Harry
Thompson, and HPC President David WIlls.
Newburgh's Historic
Preservation Commission honored former Indiana State
Senator Harry Thompson last week at its October
meeting. As co-founder and the first chairman
of Newburgh's HPC he was named "Commissioner
Emeritus".
The commission approved a resolution stating that
Harry Thompson was a staunch advocate for the
creation of the commission and served as its first
president from 1997 to 2003. The resolution
says he has gone above and beyond his normal
responsibility in service to the preservation
commission and the town. In addition to
his role is a former Indiana State Senator, he also
served in the Indiana House and worked as a local
banker and businessman as well as
a leader in area development.
Harry moved to the area
during the depression
and started working to put himself through college.
He served in World War II and after the war
continued his studies, attending college on a
part-time basis.
Mr. Thompson recently
retired from the advisory board that serves the
commission and is a
co-owner of Sunburst Stained Glass with
his daughter, Sue Morrison, who will replace him on
the advisory board.
The Newburgh
Historic Preservation Commission was created in
1997, with a mission to assist in the preservation
and protection of historic or architecturally worthy
buildings, structures, sites, monuments,
streetscapes, squares, and neighborhoods of Historic
Districts created by the Town Council. The
Commission deals with elements of development,
redevelopment, rehabilitation, and preservation that
affect visual quality in the District. The Newburgh
HPC serves the citizens of Newburgh as a steward of
the Historic Districts and as a resource for
property owners and is a of seven member commission
appointed by the Town Council, with a five-member
non-voting Advisory Board , and an Administrator.
Another daughter, Jane Johansen, an associate
professor of business communication at the
University of Southern Indiana, has established the
Harry E. Thompson Business Scholarship honoring her
father. His efforts in Indiana's General
Assembly helped pave the way for USI’s independence.
The scholarship goes to a male student working to
pay for his education at USI, maintaining a 3.0 or
better GPA, attending part-time, and majoring in a
program offered by the College of Business.
Harry also was recently named "Emeritus Member" of
HNI's Board of Directors, only the second such honor
bestowed.
