Preserving History

Preservation is the conservation of any architectural or historical structure, site or monument. It is the maintenance of the basic design and building materials of such a structure. In adaptive preservation the emphasis is on saving the appearance and authenticity of the exterior of a building. Then the interior can be adapted to a more modern use as a residence, commercial or municipal facility.

For many of today’s citizens the idea of preserving the old is contrary to the idea "newer is better". Recently, however, communities have begun to acknowledge the fact that with the increasingly rapid neglect, endangerment and disappearance of old buildings, sites, and monuments; a town’s significant past and the roots of its citizenry, the town’s heritage, is lost forever. In any community there are structurally sound buildings that are representative of significant architectural and historic eras of the town. Often rehabilitating these buildings is wiser than destroying them, both aesthetically and financially.