Preserve America News |February 2008
First Lady
Designates 14 New Communities
On January 25, 2008, First Lady Laura Bush designated 14 new
Preserve America Communities. This brings the total number of
Preserve America Communities to 585. The new communities are located
across the country from Alaska to Maine and reflect the diversity of
America’s historic resources. The newest Preserve America
Communities are Anchorage, Alaska; Fremont County, Colorado; New
Britain, Connecticut; Hardin County, Iowa; Portland, Maine;
Rockville, Maryland; Meridian, Mississippi; Cape Girardeau,
Missouri; the Soulard Neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri; Jefferson
County, Montana; Lincoln County, North Carolina; Lincolnton, North
Carolina; Enterprise, Oregon; and Abbeville, South Carolina. View
complete list of communities here.
Enterprise, Oregon, Hells Canyon Mule Days
Parade
Community
Applications Available
The 2008 application forms for Preserve America Communities and
Neighborhoods are available here.
Deadlines are quarterly: March 1, June 1, September 1 and December
1.
Treasures of
NOAA's Ark--Shipwrecks
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is
celebrating its 2008 Heritage Week by inviting the public
to its Silver Spring, Md. headquarters Feb. 2-10 for
Shipwrecks!, a free exhibition about the world of shipwreck
exploration and discovery. This special offering features shipwreck
artifacts, robot subs, talks by undersea explorers and hands-on
activities for kids of all ages. Visitors will also see exhibits
about life aboard ship, navigation, safety at sea and more.
For more information call (301) 713-3066 or log on to http://preserveamerica.cmail1.com/t/1/l/ohyir/l/www.preserveamerica.noaa.gov.
Historic
Preservation Classes
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation offers the only
Section 106 course taught by the federal agency responsible for
administering the National Historic Preservation Act’s Section 106
review process.
This two-day course is designed for those who are new to Section
106 review or those who want a refresher on its basic operation. The
course explains the requirements of Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act, which applies any time a federal,
federally assisted, or federally approved activity might affect a
property listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic
Places.
For more information on registering click here.
ACHP Assistant Director Reid Nelson teaches a
Section 106 class in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Make Some
History
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the National
Trust for Historic Preservation will honor outstanding
federal-non-federal partnerships that advance the preservation of
important historic resources. The nomination deadline for the award
is March 1, 2008. Click here
for information.
The National Trust and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development are seeking nominations for the 2008 Secretary’s Award
for Excellence in Historic Preservation. Any project completed
within the last three years is eligible. Nominations are due by
March 1, 2008. For details, click here.
Call for History
Teacher of the Year Nominations
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History announces the
fifth annual History Teacher of the Year Award, honoring outstanding
teachers of American history across the country. To nominate a
middle or high school teacher, send an e-mail to mailto:moses@gilderlehrman.org?subject=History
Teacher of the Year, along with the teacher’s name, school and a
short paragraph describing why the teacher is exceptional.
For more information click here.
Save Our
History
Since launching the Save Our History grant program in 2004, the
History Channel has awarded $1 million to historical organizations
to fund hands-on, experiential educational projects that teach
students about local history and actively engage them in
preservation. Applications for the 2008-2009 school year are now
being accepted. The deadline is June 6, 2008. More information here.
Community
Spotlight: Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the fifth largest city in the
United States. Founded by William Penn in 1682, the city hosted many
significant events during the colonial, revolutionary, and early
Republic periods in American history, including the drafting of both
the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The city
served as the capital of the United States from 1790 until 1800,
when the federal government relocated to Washington, D.C.
Philadelphia’s importance as a historic and cultural center
attracts new residents and makes it one of the top tourism
destinations in the United States. Philadelphia is home to the
recently opened National Constitution Center, Independence National
Historical Park, and the Liberty Bell. Within walking distance of
the Liberty Bell are 40 cultural institutions, museums, historic
sites, and some of the nation’s preeminent archives. Historic
Fairmount Park contains seven interpreted National Historic
Landmarks, and the city as a whole has 58, as well as seven National
Historic Landmark Districts, 401 buildings and structures listed on
the National Register of Historic Places and 53 National Register
Districts. Learn
more.
On November 13, 2007, Philadelphia’s Preserve America sign was
unveiled during a ceremony at the historic Fairmount Park Water
Works.
From left: John Bravacos, U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development Region III Director; Wayne Spilove,
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission Chair; and Mark Focht,
Fairmount Park Executive Director.
Economic
Development Awards Available
The Economic Development Administration (EDA), U.S. Department of
Commerce announces the EDA Excellence in Economic Development Awards
2008 to recognize exemplary economic development accomplishments in
communities. The nomination brochure is available for review and
download here.
The new nomination category of Excellence in Historic
Preservation-led Strategies to Enhance Economic Development is
noteworthy. Nominations submitted in this category would demonstrate
significant use of regional historic assets (including heritage
tourism) to advance innovative economic development strategies
resulting in higher-skill, higher-wage jobs and substantial private
capital investment. EDA is accepting nominations through April 16,
2008.
Questions? Contact Barbara Earman at (202) 482-4521.
Ideas Worth
Sharing...
Did you ever think of combining people's interest in food with
increasing their appreciation of local heritage resources?
Fayetteville, Georgia, has been creative in this area, combining its
"Taste of Fayetteville" weekend festival with an interactive "Taste
of Living History" program. Visitors can step back to the 1800s and
learn how to make rope, shell corn, weave on an antique loom, and
learn how a violin is made. Fayetteville also built upon its popular
"Great Pumpkin Fest" by adding Great Georgia Ghosts Storytelling
tours and an exhibit on Victorian mourning customs and artifacts in
a historic building.
In Wilmington, North Carolina, a "Flavors of the Past" event
paired local restaurants and historic sites. An event ticket
included admission to four historic sites and a morning cruise
aboard an 1850s showboat. Visitors to each site enjoyed live period
music, while the restaurants served food samples based on historic
recipes.
Aberdeen, South Dakota, drew a standing-room-only crowd to a
re-creation of a World War II troop canteen in its historic
depot, where local women fed service personnel passing through on
troop trains from 1943-1946. Music, commentary, and food focused the
spotlight on this historic site.
These are imaginative ideas of how a community can tap into the
popularity of food-related events while encouraging the public to
experience and appreciate local history.
Share your experience with other communities…
Does your community use podcasting or other popular technologies
to tell the stories of your historic resources to visitors? Please
send a brief description of what you do and how well it is working
to Judy
Rodenstein.
Each edition of the Preserve America e-newsletter will feature
innovative and interesting projects, programs, events and
partnerships. We hope Preserve America Communities all over the
country will inspire each other and share their creative thinking.
Wilmington, North Carolina,
waterfront
|