There are fewer historical buildings than there used to be. Without preservation efforts, these buildings will slowly (or quickly) begin to fade away. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. More than old buildings, these structures help tell the story of our past and how we evolved. The buildings may be from the past, but they deserve a place in our future.
Historic Preservation Month
May is Historic Preservation Month! While the focus is generally on preserving historic buildings and structures, it’s an excellent opportunity to appreciate local history in all its forms.
This month on my blog, I’m getting around to the local history posts that I’ve always wanted to do but never did. I’ve been looking forward to it. I have a dozen or so that I would like to do, and I also plan on posting lots of photos. The organizations that I volunteer with have a few events going on this month, too. Lots of fun stuff going on.
I jumped right into Historic Preservation Month this past weekend. On Saturday, I volunteered at the Fielder House Museum. It’s in a house built in 1914 and is now home to the Arlington Historical Society. I later toured Top O’ Hill Terrace — site of an illegal casino in the 1930s and 1940s. (That was something I’ve wanted to do for a long time — and it was so cool!) On Sunday, I visited a few local landmarks and participated in the “This Place Matters” campaign. My wife and I later had dinner at Jambo’s BBQ; it’s in a historic building that has been a restaurant since 1921. I’ll be doing blog posts on all of those places and topics later this month.
Also, this month, I’m planning blog posts about:
- Historic cemeteries
- Knapp Heritage Park
- Texas Historical Markers
- Local Landmarks
- Arlington’s Landmark Preservation Commission
- Historic Downtown Arlington – Walking Tour (I wrote this a few months ago, and I’m excited to finally post it!)
Historic Preservation Month is an excellent time to appreciate your local history! I’m excited about this month and think it will be a rewarding experience.
Post by Jason S. Sullivan, 05-03-21
05-19-21 | Update: I found out that Historic Preservation Month is also referred to as “National Preservation Month.” It’s sometimes shortened to “Preservation Month.”
Jason S. Sullivan 