May is National Preservation Month

Demolition by neglect is when property owners let a property rot--often because they prefer to demolish the property but building regulations refuse them such permission.

Over the years, inspired by a "what to do" list by Preservation Action Council of San Jose, I've developed a four-part series on what people can do to "celebrate" National Preservation Month.  There are more than 60 items across the posts.

Rather than reprint them in full--recognize that some of the links in previous pieces may be out of date--here are the entries.

-- "May is Historic Preservation Month: 60 ways to celebrate | Part 1: Cultural Heritage Tourism (1-19)"
-- "May is Historic Preservation Month: 60 ways to celebrate | Part 2: Explore your community (20-36)"
-- "May is Historic Preservation Month: 60 ways to celebrate | Part 3: Learn and Get Involved (37-52)"
-- "May is Historic Preservation Month: 60 ways to celebrate | Part 4: Preservation At Home (53-60)" 

It lists things like going on house tours, reading preservation plans, visiting historic theaters, commercial districts, hotels and railroad stations, riding a train or streetcar, etc. 

Since covid there have been fewer opportunities to do things in person, which affects events like house and building tours, street festivals, etc.

But it seems as if that is changing as house and building tours are ramping back up, public buildings are open, etc.

For example, this year:

-- Preservation Utah is sponsoring a Central City House Tour in Salt Lake City on May 21st

-- The Frank Lloyd Wright Trust in Oak Park, Illinois has its annual tour on May 21st

-- In DC, the Georgetown house tour was last month, Historic Takoma cancelled its tour because of covid, while the Capitol Hill House and Garden Tour will go on as it "always" does on Mother's Day Weekend, this Saturday and Sunday, May 7th and 8th (in the past I've volunteered for the Takoma and Capitol Hill Tours, that way you get to go on the tour for free)

Preservation Fair, Salt Lake City.  Communities should hold "Preservation Expos" also featuring firms that do quality work, during Preservation Month.

I missed the 2022 Preservation Utah conference--that's the problem of not subscribing to every possible e-letter, but I was out of town anyway.  I did poke in at their outdoor "preservation fair" last Saturday and I learned about some interesting organizations and initiatives.  

(It was held at the recently renovated Utah Arts Alliance "Art Castle" building.  The UAA bought the building, a deaccesioned Mormon Church, and repurposed it.  See "Utah Arts Alliance moves Art Castle plan forward, acquiring 121-year-old church building," Salt Lake Tribune).