FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 17, 2006

Contacts:
Randy Jones
Virginia Department of Historic Resources
(804) 367-2323, ext 117
Randy.jones@dhr.virginia.gov

 

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Director of Virginia's Department of Historic Resources Invited to National Preserve America Summit in New Orleans October 18-20

RICHMOND, VA.–Mrs. Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States and Honorary Chair of the Preserve America initiative, will lead a national Preserve America Summit Oct. 18-20, 2006, in New Orleans to mark the 40th anniversary of the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The director of Virginia’s Department of Historic Resources, Kathleen S. Kilpatrick, will attend the summit on behalf of the Commonwealth and at the invitation of the White House.

“I welcome this occasion to take stock of the gains made over the last four decades in historic preservation and to forge new opportunities and strategies for protecting America’s rich cultural resources into the next century,” Kilpatrick said.

Preserve America is a White House initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy our priceless cultural and natural heritage. The goals of the initiative include a greater shared knowledge about the nation’s past, strengthened regional identities and local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country’s cultural and natural heritage assets, and support for the economic vitality of our communities.

At the New Orleans Preserve America Summit, more than 300 persons from around the nation representing preservation, government, business, education, tribal, and other entities involved in historic preservation will participate to offer their expertise, suggestions and insight on the NHPA and how it can better serve communities, states, and the nation. Members of 11 panels have been studying the following topics in preparation for the summit:

• Building a Preservation Ethic and Public Appreciation for History
• Coordinating the Stewardship and Use of Our Cultural Patrimony
• Determining What’s Important
• Protecting Places That Matter
• Improving the Preservation Program Infrastructure
• Dealing With the Unexpected
• Addressing Security
• Using Historic Properties as Economic Assets
• Involving All Cultures
• Fostering Innovation
• Participating in the Global Preservation Community

Of the Preserve America communities designated nationwide, Virginia has 12. They are Alexandria, Herndon, Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, Petersburg, Smithfield, Suffolk, Warrenton, and Williamsburg, and the counties of Hanover, Prince William, and Spotsylvania.

Harrisonburg and Spotsylvania County, awarded Preserve America grants last month, are the most recent recipients in Virginia of the awards.

Spotsylvania County received a $23,000 grant to research African-American history in the county for use in developing a driving tour on African-American contributions to Spotsylvania County’s heritage.  Harrisonburg, in the central Shenandoah Valley, received a $150,000 grant to manufacture and install a variety of way-finding signage in its downtown historic district to launch a comprehensive plan for providing such signage along the city’s streets.

Preserve America grants, administered by the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service in partnership with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, are matching grants. These competitive dollar-for-dollar grants fund designated Preserve America Communities, State Historic Preservation Offices, and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices to support preservation efforts through heritage tourism, education and historic preservation planning. Through these projects, citizens and visitors alike gain a greater shared knowledge about the nation's past, strengthen regional identities and local pride, increase local participation in preserving the country's cultural and natural heritage assets, and support for the economic vitality of our communities.

Media Notes: Reporters and photographers interested in covering the summit plenary sessions in New Orleans will need to be credentialed and details are available on the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) Web site, www.achp.gov. For more information on the Preserve America Summit, contact Bruce Milhans at 202-550-7165.

Background: The Preserve America Summit is being administered by the ACHP, which is an independent federal agency that promotes the preservation, enhancement, and productive use of the nation’s historic resources, and advises the President and Congress on national historic preservation policy. It also provides a forum for influencing federal activities, programs, and policies that impact historic properties. In addition, the ACHP has a key role in carrying out the administration’s Preserve America program. See www.achp.gov for more information.

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