Highlights Archives
Register Now for "Building on the Basics"
Wisconsin's local history and preservation volunteers and professionals work together to preserve the buildings, artifacts and stories important to Wisconsin's history. This year the Society and the Wisconsin Council for Local History will offer opportunities for the newcomer and the seasoned professional to strengthen their history and preservation skills at Building on the Basics, the 2008 Local History and Historic Preservation Conference.
Set for September 26-27 in Madison, the conference will bring together national speakers, leaders of Wisconsin's historic communities and Society staff to share their experience and knowledge on some of the most important and fundamental issues facing local history and preservation advocates. Randy Wilson, president of Community Design Solutions in South Carolina, will demonstrate how to identify your community's architectural character and advocate for the principles of good design. During Friday's lunch, Wilson will share his advice on the importance of using architecture and history to guide future community development.
Heather MacIntosh, president of the national historic preservation advocacy group, Preservation Action, will identify the national preservation issues and legislation that local preservationists need to know as they advocate for preservation in their communities. Preservationists will also be interested in sessions on building a preservation constituency and preservation planning for small communities.
Local history sessions will cover topics ranging from fundraising and marketing to developing community partnerships and telling your community's story. Three local history workshops will delve more deeply into key archival and collections issues important to local historical societies. Matt Blessing, head of Marquette University's Special Collections and University Archives, will lead participants through a decision-making process that will help them decide which types of historical documents they should collect and how to manage those acquisitions. Troy Reeves, director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Oral History Program, will offer step-by-step insight into planning an oral history project from pre-interview preparation and how to ask questions to the final products of transcripts and publication. Ellen Penwell, curator of collections at Old World Wisconsin, will share her 25 years of curatorial experience with an introduction to acquisition policies and procedures, cataloging and the proper care and handling of objects.
Those who want to explore and see successful examples of local history and preservation will want to register for Friday night's special tour of historic Mazomanie (pictured above circa 1908). A chartered bus will take participants to Mazomanie, where they will be greeted by a reception at the Mazomanie Historical Society and enjoy a special tour of the society's museum. Guides will then lead participants on a walking tour of downtown Mazomanie to see historic preservation, community revitalization and heritage tourism in action. The evening activity will wind down with dinner and conversation in the cozy atmosphere of the The Old Feed Mill, a restaurant housed in a restored 1857 flour mill.
:: Posted July 30, 2008
|
