May is National Preservation Month! FHL Joins in the Celebration!
The Foundation for Historical Louisiana (FHL) is joining in the nationwide celebration during May to raise awareness through official Preservation Month activities. This year’s theme is “Old is the New Green.”
FHL will hold its annual meeting on Wednesday, May 26th, for members and guests. The brief meeting and election of officers will be followed by a special program on the history and architecture of St. Gabriel Catholic Church, which is one of the oldest and most significantly historical churches in the Mississippi Valley. A presentation will be made by noted historian and furniture maker David Broussard of St. Gabriel. Also, a display of the church in its original design will be on exhibit during the month of May at the Old Governor’s Mansion in Baton Rouge.
At the program, the FHL board of directors will announce the outstanding preservation award winners for 2010. They will be honored on the evening of July 22nd at the 34th Annual Awards Banquet scheduled at the Capitol Hilton Hotel. Each year, FHL selects individuals, organizations, and corporations who...
National Trust for Historic Preservation Selects BATON ROUGE as Site for Leadership Training in Preservation
The Foundation for Historical Louisiana was recently selected by The National Trust for Historic Preservation to host its annual Preservation Leadership Training (PLT) in Baton Rouge. From June 5-12, fifty participants, staff, and nationally recognized speakers from throughout the nation will descend upon our city for an intense eight-day experience.
Guests will stay at the historic Capitol Hilton (Heidelberg) hotel and will travel each day to Foundation headquarters in the Old Governor’s Mansion for community interviews and seminars. PLT participants are chosen by application available at www.preservationnation.org. Onethird will be selected from Louisiana, one-third from the Southern Region, and one-third from across the United States. Tuition is $750, plus lodging. A major portion of the training will focus on carefully chosen team projects. Three vital and important current projects in the Baton Rouge area community have been chosen to serve as a living laboratory for preservation learning. They are the LSU Huey P. Long Fieldhouse and Pool, the Lincoln Theater, and the Beauregard Town Baton Rouge Police Headquarters. The week will culminate with a public presentation and recommendations of...
A Message from Chair Mark Upton
I am writing this letter as I am in the midst of preparing for Thanksgiving. This time of
year turns my mind to all the things that have happened in this first period of my tenure as
Chairman of the Board of FHL and all the things that we have to be grateful for.
First, I am grateful for the addition of our newest staff member, Erin Brush. Erin’s affiliation
with us has been made possible through the Partner in the Field grant from the National Trust.
We are extremely fortunate to have her on board and her presence has already yielded positive
results. Working tirelessly on behalf of FHL, Erin has had a significant impact on the preservation
efforts of the St. Paul Catholic Church in Bayou Goula and provided significant assistance
to the Friends of St. Paul’s Church. We look forward to her involvement in more preservation
projects in the future.
I am also very grateful for the hard work of Carolyn Bennett, Danielle Honeycutt, Jennifer Berniard, Selena Grant, Clif Murphy and Claire Trahan, as well as all the volunteers who made the Old Governor’s Mansion Gala a fabulous success. Of course, we should be particularly thankful for the fantastic job done by John and Cynthia Graves, our Gala Chair couple. Because of the dedicated work by all involved, the Gala...
Preservationists To Be Honored
Outstanding preservation advocates and exemplary historic properties will be honored by the Foundation for Historical Louisiana (FHL) at the 33rd Preservation Award Ceremony on Thursday, July 30, in Baton Rouge.
The Preservation Award honors individuals or organizations for their outstanding dedication to Louisiana’s historic, architectural, and cultural heritage. The certificate reads, “Making the past known and useful to the present.”
Celebrate Preservation!
I am amazed that my two-year term as Chair of the Foundation for Historical Louisiana is almost over. When I wrote my first column for the newsletter, I mentioned that the first few months had been like a whirlwind of activity. Now, looking back, I would have to liken the past two years to a tornado! So many people have done so much to make this organization stronger and more able to meet the needs of preserving this State’s cultural and architectural heritage.
It has been such an honor to have been Chair of this organization. The contributions and accomplishments of board and staff are too numerous to mention, but I thought I’d note a few of the...
Yes! A Baton Rouge Museum! FHL Seeks Funds for Feasibility Study
A visit to the exciting city of Seattle and particularly its city museum captured the heart and mind of Baton Rouge preservationist and community leader Charles Coates. “Why don’t we have one of these in Baton Rouge?”, thought Coates.
Coates has been working diligently to garner support for his dream: A stellar museum focused on...
Preservation has many diverse purposes and rewards, including the strengthening of local economies, enhancement of property values, the fostering of civic beauty and community pride, and the appreciation of local and national history..
At the Foundation for Historical Louisiana, we also believe the organization has as a public purpose to advance the education of our citizens and to improve our quality of life. Much of the work carried...
Citizens in Louisiana are joining thousands of individuals around the country as part of a nationwide celebration of 2008 National Preservation Month. This Place Matters is the theme of the month-long tribute, which is sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The FHL was charged by the Legislature in House Concurrent Resolution 89 to “examine and evaluate the entire...
Acomprehensive architectural assessment of the Medical Center of New Orleans was released in August by the Foundation for Historical Louisiana (FHL) demonstrating that “Big Charity” can be rehabilitated as a state-of-the art medical and teaching facility according to RMJM Hillier, the architectural firm that conducted the assessment.
Since the National Trust created Preservation Week in 1971 to spotlight grassroots preservation efforts in America, it has grown into...
FHL Mission Demonstrated in Year’s Major Preservation Advocacy Projects.
Through 2007, the Foundation for Historical Louisiana (FHL) has demonstrated its mission, “Preserving the architectural and cultural heritage of Louisiana,” especially on major historical buildings in imminent danger of loss to their communities. Since Katrina and Rita, the FHL has expanded its preservation efforts, utilizing its...
The board of directors of the Foundation for Historical Louisiana (FHL) is currently undertaking a number of significant preservation advocacy projects. Two key projects of significance are located in the Greater New Orleans area and are historically and economically significant to the state: Historic Shushan Lakefront Airport and Charity Hospital, also known as The Medical Center of New Orleans. These two landmarks, along with nine others, were recently named as...
Knowledge and advocacy of historic preservation are attributes recognized annually by the Foundation for Historical Louisiana through its Preservation Awards. This year, the FHL will salute four individuals for outstanding work in cultural and historic preservation and name three...
Two monumental properties in greater New Orleans have been nominated for the Louisiana Landmarks Society “ Most Endangered List” by the Foundation for Historical Louisiana (FHL) in unanimous action taken recently by its Board of Directors. Both state-owned...
Foundation Named National Trust Partner. Gulf Coast Principles of Recovery Unveiled...
National Trust for Historic Preservation Convenes Preservationists at Old Governor's Mansion to Discuss Katrina Restoration Efforts.
