The City of Redmond, in coordination with the Redmond Historical Society, celebrates National Preservation Month in May 2012. "Discovering America's Hidden Gems" is the theme of this month-long celebration sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Since the founding of The National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1949, communities all across America have be preserving and restoring their historic sites. There is no better way to know where we come from than having the past right there for us to witness, and with the help from this organization cities and towns have been able to sustain their past and ensure it lasts into the future. Along with the assistance that The National Trust for Historic Preservation offers; it also provides leadership, education, advocacy, and resources to save America's diverse historic places and revitalize our communities.
Here in Redmond, Preservation Month 2012 will be observed by the following events:
Downtown Historic Walking Tours
May 6 and May 20
Additional dates include June 3, June 17, and September 9
Tours being at the Justice White House
(north of the Saturday Market, west end of Redmond Town Center)
Southeastern corner of Leary Way and NE 76th Street, Redmond
Tours run from 1:00pm to approximately 2:30pm.
Please note that tours involve standing and walking on hard surfaces. Suitable walking attire is recommended. Shade is very limited along the tour route.
Redmond's local historian, Tom Hitzroth leads a narrated tour of Downtown Redmond's historic buildings.
Sponsored by the Redmond Historical Society, the cost is $8 (payed in advance of the event) and proceeds benefit the purchase of a bench for the walking route. To learn more, please call 425-885-2919 or e-mail the Redmond Historical Society.
Inclement weather cancels tours. To confirm, call 425-556-2415 between 8:00am and 11:00am on the day of the tour.
National Preservation Month
Discovering America's Hidden Gems
Communities from coast to coast are filled with unexplored historic treasures—and May’s the month to celebrate them! People across the nation will take time to discover and celebrate America's hidden gems. We encourage everyone to dedicate themselves to preserving these irreplaceable and tangible reminders of our past.
Historic preservation is not only about the history of our nations roots, but it holds value in today's everyday life. We want to encourage more communities and organizations to take on programs such as Save America's Treasure because they save out past and help our future by creating more jobs and spur economic development. There are many ways you can get involved today:
- Volunteer to assist a community preservation project
- Host an educational history event
- Enjoy special tours of little-known historic sites
- Compile a photo archive of the hidden gems in your community
- Share the gems you have discovered with the Redmond community
- Include historic sites including parks and hotels on your next vacation to learn about our country's past
- Become a member of the National Trust for Historic preservation or your local preservation organization
Get involved this May and acknowledge that America's hidden gems are not something of the past and that your community will preserve them for generations to come!
In Downtown Redmond, a number of historic property and business owners have contributed to the preservation of our community's historic places by making sustainable investments in the buildings highlighted in this brochure. Visit each of these City Landmarks today to support Redmond's heritage and local economy!
For more information on sustainability and historic preservation, visit the National Trust for Historic Preservation's site dedicated to this topic.
Presentation on Adaptive Reuse of Historic Buildings in Redmond's Vibrant Downtown
This event occured on May 14. Please contact staff to obtain a copy of the meeting material. The presentation was recorded and available through RCTV On-Demand.
This presentation was provided to share historic preservation techniques and other related program components with owners and tenants of historic properties, local governments including planners, architects, builder and developers, historians and preservationists, students, and the greater Redmond community.
Regional experts in design, architecture, and preservation discussed:
- Sustainable, technical and architectural aspects of historic structures
- The USGBC LEED program and credits for historic buildings
- Various incentives available to landmark properties
- Old Town’s relationship to Redmond’s economic vitality
For additional information, contact 425-556-2415 or e-mail Kimberly Dietz
For more information about National Preservation Month or any of the events described above, please contact Kimberly Dietz at 425-556-2415.