Old buildings and the DAHP

I spent hours on the phone Thursday talking to Greg Griffith at the Washington State Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP) and Leslie Jones at TEDD.  At usual, the to-do list is longer than the original question list.  Nevertheless I feel like a status report is in order.  A note on technique.  I had to call both of these people.  They didn't answer emails or place phone calls.  But let me emphasize that they were both very helpful, informed, congenial and (by inference) overworked.

The two burning questions (in my mind) are 1) How can we accept financial contributions to our grant project right now and count them in the application and 2) How should a research grant application be structured?  Neither conversation was much help on either question.

What is evident, is that despite Preserve America itself being not about buildings, most of what is being done at the State level is all about buildings.  With cultural assets that are underwater (old towns), sensitive to disturbance (Indian habitations) or remote and somewhat dangerous (old mines) we are going to have a tough time of it.

The DAHP relies heavily on its inventory of historic structures and culturally significant places.  That information is restricted to planners, archeologists and similar professionals.  We can't know what is on that list without going to Olympia personally to do research right now, though they are working to put most of it into restricted web access.  If we want our historic properties listed, we need to work through approved professionals.  Those professionals however can train and oversee local volunteers.

The DAHP is working on a new Historic Preservation Plan for the state.  We are in the last year of a five year cycle for those.  We are all encouraged to review the current 52 page plan, downloadable from the DAHP website, http://www.dahp.wa.gov/. We are also encouraged to answer their online survey preparing for the next plan - due out at the end of this year.  You can do that survey (15 minutes or so) right off of their front page (you need to scroll down a little).

The situation with CTED is much the same, emphasis on preserving and renovating mainstreets.  Being a Certified Local Government (CLG) is very much encouraged.  There is money available to help survey local historic structures once a city gets CLG status.

May is Historic Preservation month.