In the 1960s some of Centerville’s historic buildings were demolished to make way for new development. In an attempt to protect our historic buildings, Martha Boice, founding member of the CW Landmarks Foundation, an organization devoted to preserving Centerville and Washington Township’s historic buildings, suggested that the city establish an APD, in which the properties within the APD would have to be maintained to certain historic standards.
The city established the APD in 1972, basically including properties within two blocks of the intersection of Main Street and Franklin Street. (Shown in Brown on the map.) With the city’s backing, Martha Boice submitted some of the important properties within the APD, an area referred to as the Historic District, (shown in Yellow on the map) for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places and in 1974 the Historic District was included in the registry – making it the first in the county. Establishing the APD has helped protect our historic buildings, preserving our rich history for future generations.