Recommendation to rename Charles S. Cock House passes

A decision over whether to amend the name of a historic local building is now in the hands of the San Marcos City Council.

On Wednesday, the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) passed Recommendation Resolution 2022-02RR, 4-3, amending the name and narrative of the Charles S. Cock House to reflect its connection to William “Doc” Burleson, an African-American man who preserved the house for 30 years.

“I’m glad that it’s out of the Historic Preservation Commission’s purview at this point, and now it goes to city council,” said HPC Chair Ryan Patrick Perkins, reflecting on Wednesday’s vote. “This is an opportunity for them to weigh in, and this is an opportunity for the rest of the community to support this through the council process.”

Perkins voted in favor of the resolution alongside commissioners Chelsea Ongolo, Jennifer Rogers, and Peter Dedek. Commissioners Thea Dake, Jan Little, and Diana Baker voted against it, citing unresolved concerns over the Resolution Recommendation process.

At the center of Baker’s concerns was the city’s lack of criteria for amending the names of historic buildings.

“[Baker] didn’t think that the National Register criteria or the state criteria were clear enough,” Perkins explained. “She felt like it was a little vague, and she would recommend that San Marcos have its own set of rules and standards for naming historic landmarks.”

Perkins also said Baker’s suggestion to run background checks on individuals proposed for potential names on buildings was “kind of stunning to me, especially considering that the name being proposed for the building in question is African American.”

“I felt like it was a little insensitive,” Perkins said.

The HPC began holding meetings on a proposed amendment renaming the Charles S. Cock House in August.

On Oct. 17, the HPC held a workshop meeting at the San Marcos Library to discuss the proposed amendment with relevant stakeholders, which included representatives from the Heritage Association, the Calaboose African American History Museum, and the Burleson family.

One of those stakeholders was Rose “Sewell” Burleson, granddaughter of Doc Burleson.

“Recognition is absolutely important,” Rose said at the October meeting. “Property in these United States has had a history of racial injustice. When a Black man owns property, it is a joyful thing. He, like Charles Cock, had the opportunity to raise a family.”

Perkins said the next step is to await a decision from council following the HPC recommendation resolution’s passage.

Historic Preservation Commissioners will also discuss refining their Recommendation Resolution process at its December meeting.

In the meantime, Perkins said the HPC is working on expanding its criteria for historic landmarks  “to include cultural heritage and heritage issues that have typically not been qualifying factors for historic designation.”

“So what we’re trying to do — what I’m trying to do, I don’t speak on behalf of the commission — is focus on recognition [and] equity,” he said.