The Warrensburgh Historical Society (WHS), Warrensburgh Beautification Inc. (WBI) and Richards Library are co-sponsoring a monthly four part Historic Preservation Lecture Series beginning in April.

The purpose of the series is to educate the community and its leadership to the benefits of historic preservation – the funding sources and financial incentive programs available, the advantages of adaptive reuse, and the direct correlation with economic development. 

The first of the series, There’s More to Adirondack Architecture than Great Camps, will be held on Wednesday, April 16 at 7 p.m. at Richards Library. Presented by Steven Engelhart, Executive Director of Adirondack Architectural Heritage (AARCH), the program focuses on the architectural styles that truly represented how people lived, worked, worshiped, learned, recreated and traveled in the Adirondack Region.  The historical and cultural forces that shaped these building styles and types and the communities in which they are located will be discussed. The program also explores the myriad of ways in which individuals, businesses, organizations, and municipalities have restored and adaptively reused historic buildings in a way that revitalizes neighborhoods, brings life to historic downtowns, and creates new economic opportunities in the community.

The second in the series, Defining a Preservation Approach, will be held on Wednesday, May 21 at 7 p.m. in the Emerson Town Hall.  Presented by Paula Dennis, an historic preservation grant writer, consultant and owner of “In the Field Consulting”, the program will explore the four approaches applied when preserving historic structures and define what it means to preserve, rehab, restore and reconstruct.  This highly interactive lecture will use local preserved, threatened and failing structures in our community as case studies for discussion.

The third in the series, Historic Preservation: What’s It All About?, will be held on Tuesday, June 24 at 7 p.m. in the Senior Center (Miles Thomas House).  Presented by Steven Engelhart, Executive Director of AARCH, the program is a general introduction to understanding the importance of preserving our nation’s built environment and explores the many reasons why individuals, businesses, non-profit organizations and governments are increasingly involved in promoting historic preservation.  Examples include the ways in which historic architecture and historic preservation offer us a higher quality of space, are our most tangible links to our past, foster community and national identity, contribute to community revitalization, help us conserve energy and help us manage change and growth.  Mr. Engelhart states “If you look all across the country at what makes a successful community, one of the common characteristics of these communities is that they value and preserve their historic architecture. This is done as not an afterthought or an accident but is central to their overall strategy.”

The fourth in the series, NYS Historic Homeownership Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program, will be held on Wednesday, July 16 at 7 p.m. in the Senior Center (Miles Thomas House).  Presented by the NYS Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), the program offers tax incentives to owner occupied residential structures listed on the State or National Register of Historic Places and located in an eligible census tract for rehabilitation work.