Apply Now for Preserve America Presidential Awards

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation is accepting nominations for exemplary heritage tourism and historic preservation programs and projects that meet 2009 Preserve America Presidential Award criteria. Nominations must be postmarked no later than November 1, 2008. Read the criteria and download the nomination materials here.

Summit Progress Reports

Agencies have reported their continuous progress on the recommendations issued from the Preserve America Summit for enhancing and advancing the historic preservation program in the United States and abroad. Click here for Summit progress.

Seven Missouri Communities Honored

August 14, 2008 — At a special presentation today at the Busch family's Grant's Farm outside of St. Louis, seven Missouri communities were honored with Preserve America Community recognition. Read more.

House Passes Preserve America/Save America's Treasures Legislation

The U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 3981, legislation to permanently authorize the Preserve America and Save America’s Treasures programs. The bill passed July 8 by a vote of 360-23. Read more.

2008 Preserve America Presidential Awards Presented

May 12, 2008 — WASHINGTON, D.C.— Mrs. Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States and Honorary Chair of Preserve America, today presented the 2008 Preserve America Presidential Awards at a White House ceremony. This is the highest national award for historic preservation achievement. The Presidential Awards winners are the following: African Burial Ground Project, New York, New York; Corinth and Alcorn County Mississippi Heritage Tourism Initiative; Lower East Side Tenement Museum, New York, New York; and Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program. Read more.

Maui County Named Preserve America Community

June 26, 2008 — The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation today announced Maui County has been designated a Preserve America Community. Maui County is the second Hawaii community, after Honolulu’s Chinatown Historic District, to receive this special designation. Read more.

Senior Policy Officials Meet About Section 3

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) Chairman John Nau hosted a meeting of Senior Policy Officials May 29, 2008 to discuss the impending progress reports under Section 3 of Executive Order 13287, "Preserve America." The meeting offered the officials a chance to engage in a discussion about individual progress reports and the development of the ACHP's own Section 3 progress report. Read more.

Preserve America Stewards to Honor Volunteer Efforts

May 12, 2008—Washington, D.C.—During the Preserve America Presidential Awards ceremony today, Mrs. Laura Bush, First Lady and Honorary Chair of Preserve America, announced the initiation of a new program: Preserve America Stewards, which will honor exemplary volunteer efforts at historic resources around the country. Read more here. Download Stewards application for designation here as a pdf or Word document.

Expert Panel to Explore Preservation Program

To satisfy a Preserve America Summit recommendation, the Department of the Interior and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation have created a 10-member expert panel to evaluate the current federal historic preservation program and make recommendations toward its continuous improvement. Read more.

Interior Deputy Secretary Lynn Scarlett Testifies on Preserve America and Save America Treasures

April 9, 2008 — Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett today asked the Senate Energy and Natural Resources National Parks Subcommittee to authorize the Preserve America and Save America's Treasures programs. Read more.

Pennsylvania Communities Honored

Seven Preserve America Communities and one Preserve America Grant winner were honored at an event in Gettysburg April 11. The Pennsylvania Past Players, dressed in Civil War-era attire, welcomed the crowd, and the event was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

Preserve America Community Gettysburg is planning for the 150th anniversary of its Civil War battle. Preserve America Communities Carlisle, Chambersburg, Hanover, Harrisburg, Lancaster and York were also honored.

2008 Round 1 Preserve America Grants Announced

April 7, 2008, WASHINGTON—Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett, along with Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chairman John L Nau III, today announced 43 Preserve America grants in 25 states totaling $2.9 million. The application period for round two of 2008 is now open with a deadline of June 30 to apply for grants of $4.3 million to be awarded in September. Click here for more information.

Spring Preserve America E-Newsletter Now Available

Click here to read about the latest Preserve America news including award opportunities and new Communities. Sign up here to receive the e-newsletter in your own inbox.

Festi Wins 2007 Preserve America History Teacher of the Year Award

Nov. 16, 2007—Mrs. Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States and Honorary Chair of the Preserve America initiative, today presented the 2007 national "Preserve America History Teacher of the Year" award to Maureen Festi, a fifth grade teacher at Stafford Elementary School in Stafford Springs, Conn., during a ceremony at The Museum of the City of New York. Read more. Read more.

ACHP Delivers Preserve America Summit Recommendations to President and First Lady

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) has published findings and recommendations for the future of the federal government’s historic preservation efforts based on the national Preserve America Summit held in New Orleans, Louisiana, in October 2006, and presented them to the White House. Read more.

To read the Preserve America Summit Executive Summary click here. To read the Preserve America Summit Report click here.

Reporting on Section 3 Guidance Now Available for Federal Agencies

Executive Order 13287 "Preserve America" requires federal agencies to report on the state of their historic properties with a comprehensive and candid assessment. Read more...
Click here for guidance on how to produce the next report, which is due to the ACHP by September 30, 2008.