Roots of the Piedmont    History and Preservation in Central NC

Preservation Chapel Hill and the Orange County Historic Preservation Commission are pleased to host the first annual Preservation Symposium in Chapel Hill and Hillsborough, North Carolina, May 30-31, 2014. The symposium aims to bring together preservation professionals, undergraduate and graduate students, preservation commission members, and the interested public to discuss historic preservation issues in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. The symposium will provide opportunities for professional training, as well as topics of interest to the grassroots preservationist.

This year, the theme of the symposium will be THIS PLACE MATTERS. The program is focused on fostering a sense of place between and within communities, local governments, grassroots organizations, and preservation professionals. Preservationists need tools in order to effectively balance the need for economic growth with the desire to preserve historic resources, and often preservation initiatives begin with a strong sense of place among community members. This will be an opportunity for preservationists of all backgrounds to come together to network with colleagues from across the region, brainstorm the challenges they face in their communities, and celebrate the successes of preservation efforts in Central North Carolina.