Preservation Month 2025

As we celebrate National Historic Preservation Month, I’m reminded of a recent visit I had to a grade-school class to present about preservation. As is so often the case, the kids' questions struck directly at the heart of our work and very essence of what we do: “Why would someone knock over a historic building?” “What does it mean to lose history?” “Is my family’s story part of history?” And, my favorite, “How can I help?”

In preservation, it can be easy to get lost in the minutiae. Tax credits, economic studies, documentation, and survey forms are the language of practitioners; but perhaps we should be thinking more about the language of children when it comes to our work. Often, the simplest questions are the hardest to answer – but are also the questions most deserving of a good response. 

As our nation confronts important questions about the future of preservation, we should be clear, concise, and plain-spoken in our answers: 

History matters. 
Preserving the stories of all Americans matters. 
Historic preservation isn’t just about the past – it’s about building a better future. 

And, so, if like one of those amazing kids, you’re curious in this moment, when everything feels so uncertain, how can you help save history, I’ll answer like I did to that class:

You can help by being an advocate for history. By speaking up and speaking out when critical funding or important places are threatened. By talking to friends about the challenges confronting historic places, museums, and historic communities. By engaging and supporting organizations that make a difference. 

There’s no perfect way to be a preservationist, but over the next month, my hope is that you’ll take one action in support of our shared past. You’ll attend one event, share one post, make one donation, or even just stop to enjoy one historic place. Because, like I told that class, little actions can lead to big change.

With pride in our past and faith in our future,

-Nicholas Redding