Recently, we went with LaRue Burns to go through the old Sheridan CBC files and reflected on the history of the Sheridan Rural Housing Project. Burns was involved with the Rural Housing Board from 1978, when she was named the Board Secretary, until November 2020, when she stepped down from the board. She didn't have a whole lot to say, but simply let the scrapbooks that the CBC had built over the years speak for themselves.
The planning committee for the Sheridan Rural Housing project began in 1976. Around 132 donors donated approximately $3,000 worth of donations. Bud Allee was steering committee chair, and other members of the committee were Kendall Roberts, Madolyn Streeter, Eldon Hart, Bob Holland, and Jean Brantley. The housing purchased land owned by Mr. & Mrs. Leland Brown, in what was known as the Boyles Addition of Sheridan, and took out an FHA loan for the project. There used to be a house there, which has been torn down. Vern Nelson (no relation to the Nelsons of Sheridan) drew up the plans, and E.L. Crawford Construction was awarded the bid in 1977.
The Lions Club, the American Legion, and numerous other organizations contributed funds to the project. Other organizations included the Sheridan Community Club (now the CBC), Defiance Lodge, Order of the Eastern Star, 20th Century Club, the Town and Country Club, the Sheridan Shamrocks 4-H, the Stitch and Chatter Club, and the Sunshine Club helped contribute to the project. The City of Sheridan, with Gary Constant as mayor, donated $300 to the project. An initial organizational meeting was held on September 20th, 1976.
On October 27th, 1976, around 300 people attended a Lions fundraiser for the project, raising $400. Involved in the event were Lucille Aldrich, Lynna Hoover, Clyde Parman, Marion Scott, Flora Thornburg, Mary Steinhauser, Kathryn Kennedy, Delbert Biehle, Jack Thummel, and Dorothy Nelson, along others. A contest was held for the naming of the project, and Kate Kennedy had the winning name for the project, the Sheridan Villa.
Initially, the housing project was only open to people 62 and older. The goal was to help people to stay in their own homes longer. Later, the housing project was opened to everybody after tenancy dropped; it was turned into a family project. The Sheridan Community Club did landscaping for the project, while the 4-H mulched and seeded the grounds.
Groundbreaking was held on August 10th, 1977. The estimated cost for the first three units and the wash house was $149,000, with the community paying 2% down using the donations they had collected over the previous months. The housing project was completed in early 1978, and an open house was held on April 23rd, 1978. Ten out of the initial 12 one bedroom units were filled, and there was a waiting list for people who wanted to live there. F.C Grace brought furniture to stage the open house.
On December 17th, 1978, the tenants were recognized with a Christmas dinner by the Sheridan Community Club. Turkey and all the trimmings were served at the Lions Hall, and Howard McPeak said the prayer. On the 20th, a caroling party consisting of children singing at the Villa was held. Cake and cookies were served to the participants.
On September 1st, 1982, the FHA approved a new loan for a fourth unit consisting of four one bedroom apartments. The rural housing board applied to build two units, but only got approved for one. Jack Spainhower was awarded the bid, and construction began on November 15th, 1982, with a price tag of $84,000. They also built an addition to the wash house. On October 12th, 1983, the project was completed.
In 2019, the Sheridan Housing renovated the units. They consolidated their loans and did siding, replaced the flooring, cabinets, bathroom fixtures, and the appliances.
Burns said she was proud to be involved with the Villa over the years. “We’ve always come together as a community to get things done,” she said. “I’ve had people all the time say this was the nicest place they’ve live.”
The information was collected from the Sheridan CBC scrapbooks from 1977 to 1995. The city won numerous awards at the state level over that period of time for events such as Old Defiance Days, the Little Dinner Theater, movies, a country music show, and other community events. There was a rodeo grounds on the east end of town where MFA Oil is now located and there were rodeos held from the late 1970’s until 1984. The schoolhouse was open to any community event.
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