5 Ways for Historic Home Lovers to Celebrate Preservation Month
May marks the celebration of National Preservation Month, an annual observance dedicated to celebrating the historic places that hold our nation’s history. Across the country, preservation groups on local, state, and national levels organize activities and events to relay the significance of historic preservation, highlighting its social, economic, and cultural importance.
Do you consider yourself a history lover, old house lover, or, perhaps, both? Here are five things historic home lovers can do to cheer on Preservation Month this year.
Share your history to social media.
Social media is an incredibly effective tool for educating others during Preservation Month — just think of all the Instagram posts of beautiful old houses out there! The National Trust for Historic Preservation is inviting preservation lovers to #TellTheFullStory online: Participants can share pictures of a place that “helps tell a little-known or underrepresented piece of the American story.” Selected photos will be highlighted in the coming months, so long as the photos are shared to Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #TellTheFullStory (and have @SavingPlaces tagged) before May 31.
Visit a historic site.
There are more than 2,000 National Historic Landmarks in the United States, which means you’d better get started now if you want to see them all in this lifetime. This month, you could take a walk through the South Carolina Memorial Garden in Columbia, South Carolina, or Chicano Park in San Diego, California. Or, go on a guided tour of a grand mansion, like The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island.
The National Park Service is offering a virtual Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel itinerary for those looking to celebrate from the comfort and safety of their own homes. The itinerary includes tours that center various communities that shaped American history and the places associated with them.
Volunteer with a local historic preservation group.
One of the most hands-on ways to get involved with historic preservation is volunteering locally. Whether by helping out with communications, aiding in restoring historic buildings, or assisting at an event, volunteers are an integral part of preserving the past. Those looking to get involved can contact their state or city preservation offices.
Use preservation as a means for advocacy and working towards equity.
Preservation is oftentimes used as a way of protecting communities. In Virginia, for example, the James River Water Authority (JRWA) plans to build a water pumping facility at the fork of the Rivanna and James Rivers. This spot is known as Rassawek, the historical capital of the Monacan Indian Nation. Those looking to help can send a letter to the Louisa and Fluvanna Counties boards of supervisors to urge them to require the JRWA to choose an alternative location for the pump, so as not to disturb Monacan burials. The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Leadership Forum has assembled a toolkit of resources and talking points for preservationists to utilize with a variety of issues.
Attend an event in your city
Throughout May, calendars are packed with events that celebrate the diverse and unique heritage of America’s cities and states. The Boston Public Library is offering free art and architecture tours all month. Residents can also attend “Adventures at Sea: Bostonians in the Age of Sail,” a lecture on 10 memorable stories spanning Boston’s first 200 years. In Charleston, residents can explore the restoration of the Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (KKBE) Synagogue with the Preservation Society of Charleston. And in Alexandria, Virginia, the city is offering an open panel discussion on the importance of equity in preservation.