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OREGON DAYS OF CULTURE
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www.oregondaysofculture.org
| Portland Tribune & Community Newspapers |
September 26 - 28, 2012
By Barbara Sherman
Pamplin Media Group
From the Jantzen Beach carousel to an ice-
house inEagle Point to a smokehouse inYam-
hill County to the Willamette Falls Locks at
West Linn, efforts are under way to help re-
store or at least prevent these historic sites
from further deterioration or outright demoli-
tion.
For the second year in a row, the Historic
Preservation League of Oregon has come out
with a list of Oregon’s “Most Endangered
Places,” backing up the distinction with
grants and expertise to help the owners give
their properties “a little extra attention to
make it to the second phase of their lives,” ac-
cording to the preservation league’s website.
Sitting in the preservation league’s office in
Old Town Portland, Executive Director Peggy
Moretti explained that the list comes out each
May after people fromaround the state nomi-
nate sites because they are at risk and highly
significant in their communities.
“Nominations come from all different
folks,” Moretti said. “We have an advocacy
committee, and we have criteria that have to
bemet, including historic significance, urgen-
cy, level of community support and whether
the property has long-term viability. We
choose places that can be successful.”
“Generally, the owner is already aware of
the process, and we contact them so they un-
derstand what’s involved. Sometimes a site
just needs patching up, or sometimes the use
needs to be changed or it needs structural
help. We identify a reasonable strategy and
work with the property owner and commu-
nity. We want to be facilitators.”
The preservation league, which chooses
seven to 10 properties each year, works with
the property owners, brings in experts, offers
small seed grants, helps owners apply for
more grants or seek historic designation and
helps rally community support. Its efforts are
being boosted by a $20,000 grant from the Or-
egon Cultural Trust for the purpose of spot-
lighting the state’s most significant historic
properties.
According to Moretti, similar “endangered
places” programs have been operating
around the U.S. for a long time, and the pres-
ervation league decided to become involved
“not just from a cultural viewpoint but also
from environmental and economic stand-
points.”
She added, “We hope these projects reso-
natewith folks andmake people in these com-
munities realize, ‘I would hate to lose that.’
Wewant to bring these sites down to the com-
munity level.”
The preservation league has been involved
with saving historic landmarks around the
state for many years, including such diverse
projects as the Crater Lake Lodge and the Co-
lumbia River Scenic Highway.
Moretti, who joined the preservation league
four years ago, brought a public relations,
marketing and business background, along
with a love of historic places, to the position.
“It’s been lovely to use my background and
applymy business experience to a nonprofit,”
she said. “One of our goals is to reposition
preservation so that people see the economic
and environmental benefits of projects like
those on our ‘most endangered’ list.”
Historic Preservation League of Oregon offers help to
owners of deteriorating historic properties
value
PROPERTY
The Historic Preservation League of Oregon’s 2012
grants support “the Most Endangered Places of
Oregon,” including the historic Willamette River Locks
in Oregon City.
Courtesy of HistoriC PreserVation
league of oregon