Historic Preservation Working for Washington: The State Historic Preservation Plan 2000

From the Introduction: "Washington's Historic Preservation 2000 sets forth a direction for the state's historic preservation community. This community is defined as those individuals, tribes, agencies, businesses, and organizations routinely involved in recognizing and protecting heritage. The goals, objectives, and tasks identified herein, are the focus of the Plan and were formulated by preservationists through various public forums. It is important to note that the public participation process also sough and obtained viewpoints from persons who would not always identify themselves as preservationists. This diversity of viewpoints served to enrich the strengthen the Plan. Five goals are identified: I) Support and strengthen local historic preservation efforts; II) Enhance historic preservation education and outreach efforts; III) Form new partnerships to expand the historic preservation community; IV) Incorporate cultural resources protection as part of land use planning processes; and V) Stimulate economic development and revitalization through historic preservation. Important themes incorporated within the goals include: stepping up public outreach and education efforts; forming partnerships to introduce historic preservation concepts to new audiences; promoting historic preservation as an effective economic development tool; expanding communication networks to link information with users; and focusing on the Growth Management Act and subsequent growth management planning as a vehicle to effect preservation techniques. Other portions of the Plan examine the status of historic preservation in Washington at the beginning of the planning cycle. This study includes identification of the various historic preservation stakeholders (such as property owners, public agencies, and tribes) and a description of cultural resource types (archaeological, historic, etc.) which the Plan addresses. Subsequent sections of the Plan include narrative on demographic, economic, social, and political trends which are projected to take place in Washington within and beyond the planning cycle. Assessment is made as to how these trends may affect historic preservation in positive as well as negative ways. The text is concluded with an overview of threats to, and opportunities for, protection of cultural resources. Important is the recognition that current development patterns threaten properties in most areas of the state. This threat is most pronounced in regions increasingly distant from central cities. New and existing incentive plus growth management planning present opportunities for expanded preservation successes. The Washington State Historic Preservation Plan 2000 serves as a guide for the state's preservation community to achieve its goals by the year 2000. It breaks the goals into objectives together with clearly defined tasks. These tasks represent the means by which objectives (and thus the goals) are to be attained. This planning framework provides the historic preservation community with: a sense of purpose or mission; enhanced credibility; tangle steps, against which progress can be measured; and an expanded sense of partnership. Further, the Plan guides policy and influences decision-making in regard to cultural resource management across the state...." Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund to the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation administered by the State, Tribal, Local Plans and Grants division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Historic Preservation Working for Washington: The State Historic Preservation Plan 2000

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