Mr. Herbert Harper

[larry_cockerham]

History loses a friend with Herbert Harper's death
By MINDY TATE, Editor
Williamson Herald, May 17, 2007

Herbert Harper was just getting used to retirement after 37 years with the Tennessee Historical Commission, 31 as its executive director.

“The thing I had to get used to when I first retired, every day seemed like Saturday and I had to look at the calendar to see what day of the week it is,” Harper said early last month when he was honored by the Tennessee Civil War Preservation Trust and the Tennessee General Assembly for his work for historic preservation in Tennessee.

Known as a quiet, humble man, preservationists, family and friends are reeling from Harper’s death early Monday following a massive stroke over the weekend at his Goose Creek area home.

“In my opinion, he accomplished more for preservation and said less about it than anyone I know,” said Thomas Cartwright, director of The Carter House, where Harper had served for more than 40 years on the board of directors.

Like many asked to comment on Harper’s life, Cartwright said he was at a loss for words.

“No words can adequately describe what he meant to the Carter House,” Cartwright said. “Mr. Harper was a man of few words, so when he spoke, everyone listened. He didn’t have an ego on him. He was the grandfather of The Carter House.

“I just personally feel blessed to have a chance to have known him, much less to have been able to tap in on his experience. He always put others before himself, Cartwright said. “He always gave more than he would take.”

Before his retirement in October 2006, Harper was involved in securing $1.25 million in state funding in his budget for a new visitors center at the Carter House, a state-owned property.

During his career as the state’s top preservation official, Harper “implemented a program to certify historic preservation programs of local governments in Tennessee and oversaw the review of more than 60,000 federal undertakings to ensure the identification, evaluation and protection of any historic properties,” state Sen. Jack Johnson said in the legislative resolution honoring Harper.

““Mr. Harper’s life work was the promotion and preservation of Tennessee’s history. Our great state is a much better place because of his commitment and dedication,” Johnson said Wednesday. “We are all so grateful for his work and we will miss him.”

Harper also oversaw the erection of more than 1,400 historical markers and implementation of the federal tax credit program for historic properties in the state which has leveraged the investment of more than $700 million in historic properties in the state.”

Harper is always quick to say he was just doing his job, but through that, 1,968 entries were added to the National Register of Historic Places, including 262 district and a total number of 41,272 properties across the state.

To Rick Warwick, a local historian, Harper’s impact will be missed.

“With his death, Tennessee really lost a great friend across the state,” Warwick said. “He had been in his position as executive director for so many years, he had so many friends. He was easy going, but could be firm when it was needed. He was truly a gentleman.”