Call your sales representative today 360-675-6611
Enjoy your newly redesigned Whidbey News Group shopper.
Place an ad to reach over 16,750 Oak Harbor readers!
Whidbey Xtra! WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016 | Vol. 1, No. 41 | WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM | FREE
Historic farmhouse on Navy base may be demolished By RON NEWBERRY
rnewberry@whidbeynewsgroup.com
The thought of her greatgreat grandfather’s farmhouse being reduced to rubble and memories is difficult for Kathy Lunsford. The home, built around 1900 by Henry Riksen, is one of nine historic farmhouses at Ault Field at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. The Navy is planning to tear it down. Lunsford and other Riksen descendants were notified of the plan in a letter dated Dec. 29 following a lengthy review of what to do with the structures. She and her relatives had hoped the farmhouse that was once part of a prosperous 135-acre farm held enough historic meaning to Oak Harbor that it could have been saved. They see the house as a standing reminder and symbol of sacrifices made by Riksen and the other Dutch farmers who were forced to sell their Clover Valley farms in the early 1940s and relocate to make way for the Navy base and runways that now rest at Ault Field. But, by nature of a letter and memorandum of agree-
Photo Provided by Peggy Darst Townsdin
This photo shows the historic Riksen home in the 1930s. ment she received from the Navy, Lunsford sees only a grim fate in store for the Riksen farmhouse. “When I looked at it, I realized they plan on tearing it down,” Lunsford said. “The option they gave us was kind of ‘Move it or lose it.’ “It’s just a shame.” The Riksen farmhouse, with its two barns, was originally identified as the most promising candidate of nine aging farmhouses on fed-
eral property to consider preserving when the review process began in 2014. Most of the other structures were moved from their original locations, some more than once. The Navy used the remodeled homes as military housing for more than 70 years, but that practice has been phased out. Some of the barns, however, remain in use for storage and other purposes. The homes were owned
XTRA SPECIAL!
and managed by Forest City Enterprises Inc., which was leasing the land. Forest City sold its entire military-housing portfolio to Hunt Company Inc., in November. According to the MOA, the Navy is looking to save one of the houses as a functional representative example of the historic farmhouse in Clover Valley, but not the house that was part of the Riksen farm. The farmhouse that the
Navy is planning to retain is Building 2885 or Quarters K, which will remain a residence in service, the document stated. All nine of the farmhouses at Ault Field were found to meet the criteria for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, the Navy learned through its evaluation process with the Washington State Historic Preservation Office. The MOA states that the Navy acknowledges that the demolition of the other eight farmhouses may have an “adverse effect” on those properties’ eligibility for such historic designation. “During Section 106 consultation with the Washington State Historic Preservation Office, as guided by the National Historic Preservation Act, the Navy evaluated nine farmhouses on Ault Field and all nine were determined eligible for listing in the National Listing of Historic Places,” NAS Whidbey spokesperson Tony Popp wrote in an email. “The Navy also found there to be an adverse effect to the eight farmhouses being proposed for
Present this coupon for
ONE ADDITIONAL MONTH FREE* on a paid one-year subscription
*Not to be combined with any other offers. No cash value.
demolition. To mitigate the adverse effect, the Navy is developing a memorandum of agreement in consultation with the Washington SHPO and descendants of the Risken family, who once owned one of the farmhouses.” Since the Navy is still in the consultation process, and a public comment period has yet to take place, a timeline for demolition has yet to be determined, Popp added. “These farmhouses have served our Navy families for 73 years,” Popp said, “and NAS Whidbey Island takes pride in its history and wants to preserve those memories.” Kathy Lunsford was emailed a copy of the letter written by Capt. Michael Nortier, commanding officer of NAS Whidbey, inviting her to comment on the attached memorandum of agreement. She said she and her relatives were given up to 45 days to respond to the Navy’s plan. They also were given the option to relocate the house, a project relatives figure would be too costly. SEE HOUSE, PAGE 3