Preservation Maryland welcomes three new members to our Board of Directors: Justin Peak of Christman Company, Bryce Turner of BCT Design Group, and Beth Maser of HAI.
We are also pleased to announce new roles on the Board’s executive committee. Diane Caslow now serves as board chair, Ann Powell as vice chair, Lisa Sasser as secretary, and Eric Ober as treasurer.
REVITALIZING COMMUNITIES IS COMPLEX AND CHALLENGING WORK. FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES, THE WORK OFTEN COMES WITH EVEN GREATER OBSTACLES AND HURDLES TO OVERCOME. THE CREATION OF THIS RURAL RESOURCE GUIDE, FIRST RELEASED IN 2019 AND RECENTLY UPDATED IN 2023, IS PART OF PRESERVATION MARYLAND’S ONGOING EFFORT TO SUPPORT THIS CRITICAL WORK.
The organization’s longstanding work in rural regions of the state was the inspiration for compiling this guide. Having seen projects and efforts stall due to a lack of resources or awareness of available support, the goal of this guide is to connect communities to the tools and resources they need to succeed and to identify useful case studies from which communities can draw inspiration and assistance.
Often, before beginning a project a thorough review of all potentially useful resources is a good first step. This guide is designed to assist with that step and to provide an at-a-glance level of information on the key programs that support redevelopment and revitalization in rural Maryland. Depending on your project, the next step may involve digging deeper on the specific program’s website or by connecting with someone in your community who may have more information. The case studies show how it can all come together in the form of a project – and while not every aspect of the case studies may apply to your effort they tend to underscore the diverse funding streams that make it happen and the tenacity that anyone must have to pull off this work in rural communities.
This guide’s creation was made possible thanks to the generous financial support of the Rural Maryland Council. The Rural Maryland Council brings together citizens, community-based organizations, federal, state, county and municipal government officials as well as representatives of the for-profit and nonprofit sectors to collectively address the needs of Rural Maryland communities. Although many may think of Maryland as an urbanized state, 75% of its counties are considered by the state to be rural and struggle with the challenges of revitalization and redevelopment encountered in more traditionally rural states and regions.
The Preservation Maryland team is again hosting Pop-Up Field Offices throughout the state – one in each county – meeting with individuals who are interested in learning more about historic preservation or asking questions about various programs and funding opportunities. Additionally, ahead of the 250th anniversary of American Independence in 2026, we are looking to capture Marylanders’ stories and history they feel should be elevated in the upcoming commemoration.
Preservation Maryland is a statewide non-profit working to protect the Maryland’s unique and irreplaceable heritage while creating a more equitable and sustainable future. Through strategic programming and partnerships, the organization is using the best of our past to solve some of today’s biggest challenges, including the effects of climate change, affordable housing, and workforce development.
Although the organization’s core mission remains the same as when we started in 1931, our work has adapted, our strategies have diversified, and our approach has modernized. We remain at the forefront of the preservation movement, creatively working to preserve place, effect policy change, and grow the historic preservation workforce so our shared history can be enjoyed for untold generations to come.
When we talk about preserving place, we mean both the tangible aspects of physical structures, and the intangible heritage and culture that makes a community what it is – things that cannot be seen but can be felt. Our Historic Property Redevelopment Program is a catalyst for revitalization, making direct investments in historic places across the state that will also solve modern challenges.
In addition to leading the hands-on work of preserving historic structures, our program Smart Growth Maryland supports and advocates for more environmentally and economically sustainable communities through better development patterns.
Through our innovative national workforce development initiative The Campaign for Historic Trades, we are working to expand and strengthen careers in the high-demand field of historic trades by resolving access barriers. Recruiting young adults and recent veterans for paid, hands-on trades positions across the country, The Campaign is taking the lead nationally to standardize historic trades education and grow specialized skills to properly preserve historic structures and materials.
Year after year we make significant policy advances for preservation in Maryland, while securing an unprecedented amount of funding for preservation efforts across the state. For more than 90 years we have led efforts across the state to protect historic sites, whether we are executing that work or providing direct financial support so others have the resources needed to conduct vital preservation projects.