Begun in 1971 and formalized into a month-long celebration in 2005, National Preservation Month celebrates America's diverse and irreplaceable heritage. This year's theme, This Place Matters, encourages citizens to visit historic places and buildings in their neighborhoods to learn the history of the spaces and what is being done to preserve these areas. Through the National Trust for Historic Preservation's web site citizens can upload pictures and videos of places that matter to them.
The State Library of Massachusetts is fortunate to reside within an historic place - The Massachusetts State House. Citizens can celebrate National Preservation Month by visiting the historic building, in person or virtually. The State Library holds many resources about the history of the State House building, the most prolific being The State House Historic Structure Report, a three-volume set that details the various additions to the current State House, as well as preservation goals for the future. This resource can be viewed in the Special Collections Department of the library, located in room 55 of the State House.
Further Resources:
- A Tour of the Massachusetts State House
- Evolution of the State House
- National Trust for Historic Preservation
