GRANTS PASS – In honor of the national observance started in 1973, Mayor Roy Lindsay has proclaimed May as Historic Preservation Month in Grants Pass.
Instituted in 1973 as National Preservation Week, the acknowledgment was later expanded to a full month to promote historic places for the purpose of instilling national and community pride, promoting heritage tourism, and showing the social and economic benefits of historic preservation.
“Historic preservation is an effective tool for economic development, tourism promotion, growth management, sustainable development, and neighborhood revitalization,” said Lindsay.
The City of Grants Pass Historical Building and Sites Commission is composed of citizen volunteers who help preserve, promote, and protect the city’s historic buildings and sites.
“It is important to celebrate the role of history in our lives and the contributions made by dedicated individuals in helping preserve the tangible aspects of the heritage that has shaped us as a community,” Lindsay said.
Recently, nine new bronze plaques were installed in downtown Grants Pass to acknowledge historic building sites, including the Grants Pass Post Office and the Claus Schmidt House, home of the Josephine County Historical Society.
“Celebrate Historic Preservation Month by visiting, experiencing and shopping your downtown historic district,” said Ward Warren, chairman of the City of Grants Pass Historical Building and Sites Commission.
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