A second chance might have been given to the Eighth Wonder of the World.

The Houston Astrodome was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 15.

By being added to the NRHP, the Astrodome will be available to receive tax breaks and potentially federal funding while the future of the famed stadium is decided in Harris County. While there is still a possibility that the leaders of Harris County decide the best action is destruction, being listed on the NRHP makes that endeavor a lot tougher than it would have been without the listing.

I am happy that this has happened because of the memories I have of the Astrodome. As someone who made several trips a year to the Astrodome from 1990-1999 for both Astros games and Oiler games (up until 1996 when they did the reverse Davy Crockett and went to Tennessee) as well as two visits in 2001 for two Lufkin High football playoff games (including a 38-24 win over Austin Westlake in the 2001 UIL 5A D-2 state championship), it has a special place in my heart It is where I saw my first baseball game.

The Dome is the first of its kind and, in the opinion of this humble writer, the best looking of any of the domed stadia built after. It deserves better than death by wrecking ball. It deserves life and recognition for the landmark that it is.

Some will say that the destruction has begun with the tearing down of the three outer ramp towers but those were not original to the dome, they were added in the late 80s when the city of Houston was trying to keep the Oilers from ditching town (something they did eventually). The rest of the dome is original to 1965.

The Astrodome still has a story to tell as it approaches the 50th anniversary of its opening next April. Fortunately with the addition to the NRHP, it seems that the Eighth Wonder will survive to celebrate the big 5-0.