The skills and tools for preserving local history will be explored at a statewide conference taking place Sept. 22-24 in Moscow.
With field trips to vintage barns and workshops like “So You Rescued a Historic Building … Now What?”, the conference unites those on the front lines of saving history — from archaeologists and architects to fundraisers and history buffs.
The whole premise is that it brings together people associated with preserving heritage across the state,” said Dulce Kersting, who serves as executive director of the Latah County Historical Society and helped plan the conference. “We are all working on similar projects, and we can all benefit from working with each other.”
Organizers hope to have 150 to 200 people register, she said. Attendees will be able to choose between field trips that include Potlatch, one of Idaho’s few well-preserved company towns; Lewiston, one of three cities in the state to earn a Beautiful Downtown designation; Nez Perce tribal history; and preserved Palouse barns on both sides of the state line. One evening, attendees will take a candlelight tour of homes in Moscow’s Fort Russell Historic District.
Workshops taking place on the University of Idaho campus will cover topics such as preserving documents, the use of historic districts, reviving Main Street, and designing museum exhibits for short attention spans.
Besides professionals, the conference offers opportunities for people interested in preserving their family history or recording oral histories, Kersting said.
The conference costs $75 for the general public and $35 for UI or Washington State University students with valid ID.
People are encouraged to register in advance online at www.idahosheritageconference.org, although registration will be available at the door. Partial registration is not available.
This is the second statewide heritage conference. The first took place in 2013 in Boise. Moscow bid to be the location of the 2015 conference, which is the project of six statewide heritage organizations: Idaho Heritage Trust, Idaho State Historical Society, Preservation Idaho, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Idaho Archaeological Society and Idaho Association of Museums. !
If you go What: Idaho’s Heritage Conference When: Sept. 22-24, 2015 Where: Moscow Cost: $75 general public, $35 university students Online: www.idahosheritageconference.org
