Hello! My name is Cameron Robertson and I am the City’s new Historic Preservation Officer. You may not know this, but May is National Preservation Month! To kick off the month, I wanted to share a message with Denton residents about historic preservation and why people across the country find it important enough to designate a whole month to it.
The National Park Service describes historic preservation as “a conversation with our past about our future…historic preservation is an important way for us to transmit our understanding of the past to future generations.” Historic preservation helps to tell stories that authentically represent the past. These stories can instill both happiness and pride, as well as remind us of events that may make us both upset and uncomfortable. These stories can be shared through structures, landscapes, artifacts, oral histories, and more. Historic preservation is important because it serves to advance the education and well-being of the public, by not only preserving built environments, but also retaining a sense of place through the protection of existing communities.
The month of May is dedicated to celebrating and sharing our nation’s history through a series of events that promote heritage tourism and historic places, in addition to demonstrating the economic and social benefits of historic preservation. To learn more about historic preservation, visit the National Trust for Historic Preservation website. Also, be sure to check out the City’s Historic Preservation page, which includes helpful resources and information, including the new “Discover Denton Landmarks Map” to learn about local landmarks!
Plus, if you want to learn more about Denton’s unique history, you can always pay a visit to the Special Collections Department of the Denton Public Library, located at Emily Fowler Central Library (502 Oakland St). Denton has many landmarks and local histories that make our city what it is today, including areas like our Downtown Square, Old Alton Bridge, and more! In fact, the Library also has a blog where you can learn all about Denton’s founders, community history. Learn about Denton’s founders, community leaders, and historic buildings and landmarks on the Denton Public Library Blog.