Ponca City celebrated the city's 123rd birthday Monday evening with a City Hall reception before the City Commission meeting hosted by the Historic Preservation Advisory Panel.

Panel member Richard Winterrowd gave a presentation during the reception of the latest projects undertaken by the group. He said Ponca City is a Preserve America Community with two local historic districts -- the Gateway Neighborhood on North Sixth Street and the Wentworth District in the Acre Homes addition. The panel is working on additional districts, including one for the Overbrook Avenue neighborhood between Seventh Street and 14th Street.

The panel also is submitting a nomination to place the Harry Hatashita House on the National Register of Historic Places. That nomination will be heard by the State Historic Preservation Office in October, before being sent to the Keeper of the National Register in Washington, D.C.

During the Commission meeting, Mayor Homer Nicholson presented a proclamation to panel member Marcia Davis, acknowledging the city's birthday and the work of the panel to preserve the city's history.

Nicholson then was presented the framed document proclaiming the addition of the Lake Ponca Duck Pond area to the National Register of Historic Places, the most recent addition to achieve that recognition.

Commissioners also received copies of a book with the history and design information about the Hutchins Memorial Auditorium prepared by the Preservation Design Studio in Oklahoma City. The book was prepared through a Historic American Buildings Survey.