Tuesday night’s city council work session ended up being a big win for the future of mill houses in the Rosemary Mill Historic District.

We believe it also opens new doors for city government to take a stand and become advocates of historic preservation where in the past there has only been fleeting interest as witnessed by the desecration of the Patterson Mill and Rosemary Mill.

After some concern registered by the State Historic Preservation Office in the Henry Street revitalization project, a memorandum of understanding, which protects these unique houses, got council approval.

While it may seem an unimportant issue in a city rife with larger concerns, this memorandum sets strict guidelines that ensure these houses won’t be recklessly demolished and given a fighting chance to serve as homes to families.

The guidelines approved by council Tuesday night also ensure that any future construction be done to replicate the look of mill houses to make a cohesive historic district.

While the measures contained in the memorandum preserve historic integrity, they may also help serve a larger purpose.

We have been advocates of what the Roanoke Avenue Business Alliance has been doing to foster a resurgence in the uptown and downtown business districts. We have also encouraged the organization to include in their plans for walking tours of Aladdin Kit Homes, the mill houses.

We look with dismay at what happened to the Patterson Mill and, most recently, the Rosemary Mill.

We believe the guidelines set by council Tuesday night should serve as a conduit for council to take seriously its task of preserving the history of the city.

While we will stop short at saying a historic preservation committee should be looked at, we will say this would be a good opportunity to at least have RABA serve in that capacity.

These historic mill houses can be a tool in the education of students so they learn the part they played in the rich textile history of Roanoke Rapids. We believe the mill houses are a treasure in Roanoke Rapids, a reminder of a time when textile workers were sheltered in these homes.

While it’s unfortunate we can’t bring back the textile industry, we can honor its legacy by making sure a part of it is saved.

We were glad to see the concrete roadmap in print Tuesday night. It gives us hope we can preserve the history of this city, which is so ensconced in the textile and paper industry.

We also believe it gives the current city council, as well as future city councils, a chance to be staunch supporters of this preservation effort and gives the mill houses a fighting chance — Editor.