Oregon Historic Preservation Plan, 2011-2016

From introduction: "The 2011-2016 Oregon Historic Preservation Plan is the distillation of ideas and comments collected through a broad outreach effort by State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) staff over a period of several months in 2010. Based on what we heard from you, it appears that the preservation movement is nearing its end. And we are celebrating. Why? From the SHPO perspective, preservation seems poised on the edge of outgrowing the “movement” concept entirely, much like the civil rights movement did, or the environmental movement, or the women’s rights movement... If preservation is poised on the edge of true integration, how do we push it over, once and for all? There are a few concrete ways to break out of the “movement” mentality, but they are not easy things to accomplish. As preservation partners, we all have to take some responsibility for the way we convey the value of preservation among our constituents, from the words we choose in conversation to the tools we use to get the word out. It’s going to take individual commitment, which the preservation movement has always been famous for, to push our cause to the next level. Here are some thoughts: Engage the public. This means letting go of academic explanations and exclusive terminology when we talk to the public about preservation. Use straight talk that will resonate, not alienate. Using popular media can help, too... Span professional disciplines. Are we working toward a common goal alongside other disciplines or are we territorial and competitive about our aspect of a project? This is a call to all the disciplines we work with on a regular basis, but maybe we’re the first to step up... Don’t call it preservation. Everybody is a preservationist at some level; they just don’t call themselves that. If we define ourselves too rigidly, we risk alienating our cause and our ability to contribute to the broader public debate... Commit to building credibility, reasonableness, and trust. It cannot be overemphasized how important public support is for a successful preservation program. Communities can build this support by focusing on the cultural resources that really matter and spending less time on the things that don’t matter as much... Stop talking about the past. The past is not all that helpful to cultural resources, particularly buildings. It may be the reason a site gets listed in the National Register in the first place. It is also the basis for treatment and rehabilitation plans. And we know that memory, respect for our ancestors, and nostalgia compel many of us to preserve in the first place. Having said that, a historic building’s past is largely irrelevant when it comes to its survival. We need to stop trying to convince people that a building should be saved because it was important in the past and spend more time helping property owners define new roles for their buildings into the future..." Funding was provided in part by a 2011 Historic Preservation Fund grant administered by the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office (project number OR-11-105, grant number 41-11-31944) and the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Oregon Historic Preservation Plan, 2011-2016

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