Preserving place, preserving identity
"Preserve Your Place" is a 12 Session public education series designed to empower historic property owners, prospective buyers, contractors, and preservation-curious community members with the knowledge and tools to care for, improve, and celebrate their historic buildings.
Quarterly Workshops
90 minutes
Located at the LCPS Headquarters
$10 for members/ $20 non-members per session
25 person capacity
Why Attend?
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Understand the difference between local landmark designation, National register listing, and contributing structure status
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Know what designation does and does not require of owners
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Dispel common. myths about historic designation
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Series Workshop List
session 1: is my building historic?
Understanding Designations and What They Mean
- Understand the difference between local landmark designation, National Register listing, and contributing structure status
- Know what designation does and does not require of owners
- Dispel common myths about historic degradation
Session 2: Chimneys, Rock Walls, and HIstoric Masonry
Maintaining Brick, Stone, and Mortar the Right Way
- Understand common masonry issues in historic buildings and landscapes
- Learn the difference between proper historic masonry repair and damaging modern practices
- Identify when repair, repointing, or structural stabilization is necessary
Session 3: historic paint colors & exterior finishes
Getting it Right for Your Home's Era and Style
- Identify the architectural style and era of their property
- Understand historically appropriate color palettes
- Know how to identify original colors and select appropriate paint
Session 4: adaptive Reuse
Converting Historic Buildings for New Uses
- Understand the concept of adaptive reuse and its benefits
- Know the regulatory and financial landscape for reuse projects
- Be inspired by local case studies
session 5: historic hardware & Architectural details
Saving the Small Things That Give Buildings Character
- Recognize and identify common historic hardware styles and materials
- Learn how to repair, restore, and source replacement hardware
- Understand why original architectural details matter to historic integrity
session 6: Researching your property
Digging Into the History of Your Property
- Know what historical records are available and where to find them
- Conduct a basic property history using publicly available tools
- Understand how LCPS's research library can assist deeper inquiry
Session 7: Buying a Historic home
What Every Buyer Needs to Know Before They Sign
- Know what to look for in a historic home inspection
- Understand the unique characteristics of pre-1950 construction
- Leave with a list of resources for new historic homeowners
session 8: Historic paint colors & interior finishes
Understanding the Layers of Your Historic Home
- Identify historically appropriate interior finishes and paint palettes for different architectural eras
- Understand traditional materials and techniques used in historic interiors
- Learn how to preserve, restore, or replicate original finishes while balancing modern living needs.
session 9: windows, roofs, and siding
Repairing vs. Replacing Historic Materials
- Understand why original building materials matter
- Know the difference between repair and replacement, and when each is appropriate
- Find qualified contractors and materials for historic work
session 10: Foundations, drainage & historic landscaping
Protecting Your Building from the Ground Up
- Understand how drainage and landscaping impact historic building preservation
- Identify common foundation problems in historic structures
- Learn historically appropriate approaches to garden, pathways, retaining walls, and site features
Session 11: Working with the historic landmarks commission
Permits, Reviews, and How to Navigate the Process
- Understand when HLC review is required
- Know how to prepare a successful application
- Learn Secretary of the Interior's Standards in plain language
Session 12: Telling your building's story
Plaques, Signage, and Public Interpretation
- Know how to apply for historic markers and plaques
- Understand how to write effective interpretive text
- Connect your building's story to LCPS's digital resources