The Carmel Clay History Museum will have its grand opening on Nov. 20. The Historic Preservation Committee (HPC) had their monthly meeting on Nov. 14 at City Hall. The commission was formed to protect and promote the educational, cultural and general welfare of the citizens of Carmel. According to social studies teacher Margaret Lehman, preserving the rich history of Carmel is a priority.

“A lot of the (old) architecture is so beautiful and the quality is so different from what we do with things today,” Lehman said. “We need to cherish the memory of the architects, the history and the people that were in those buildings.” 

Harper Lopez, a junior and antique enthusiast, said he enjoys visits to historical museums and loves to learn about the aspects that bring a community together. 

“I love to see old buildings and collect things from a long time ago. It’s great when I can find something that originated from Carmel because it makes me feel more connected to the city,” Lopez said. “Keeping the original charm (of Carmel) is something that should be more important, I think.”

However, not everyone feels the same way. Junior Nate Ventura said, “Carmel is a city that needs to keep progressing forward instead of lagging behind.”

“The city shouldn’t waste its funds on useless projects like keeping and restoring an old home, that money could be used to benefit current things,” Ventura said. “I think that focusing on the present is more important than dwelling on the past; we should be putting more effort into making sure that our schools are property functioning rather than seeing a newly restored home.”