By Sentinel Staff
About a dozen Sitkans, including members of the Sitka Historic Preservation Commission, city staff and an Assembly member, attended a noon meeting Thursday at Centennial Hall to hear two officers of the Alaska State Office of Historic Preservation speak about grant opportunities in Sitka and the philosophy behind and importance of historic preservation.
State Historic Preservation Officer Judith Bittner and Grant Crosby, Alaska regional historical architect with the U.S. Park Service, spoke about the origin and purpose of the state historic preservation office.
The 1966 National Historic Preservation Act set up a framework in which federal, state and local government offices promote community preservation efforts by helping to define goals, and provide seed money, guidance and technical information on preservation of historic places and structures. She cited the example of the help the state historic preservation office provided to Juneau in creation of an historic downtown district that helped revitalize that part of town.
Bittner said heritage tourism, in which people travel to see historic sites, points to the economic importance of being good stewards of historic properties. Crosby added that Sitka is especially fortunate to have so many sites designated National Historic Landmarks – places with significance not only to the community but to the history of the United States. He said there are only 2,511 such places in the entire country, and that eight are located in Sitka.
Less prominent sites are also important to communities for their significance in local or regional history, Bittner said. Maintaining a state and local inventory of historic resources, such as neighborhoods, and asking the question “what makes a place special?” is a foundational part of preservation. “It will benefit tourists and locals alike,” she said.
Assembly member Valorie Nelson asked whether spending government funds on religious properties violates the Constitution’s separation clause. Bittner replied that if a property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places it can receive government aid, as long as the money is used for the historic fabric of the building.
Both officials talked about the do’s and don’ts of preservation. To preserve an historic property, owners should repair, or when replacing materials, use like materials.
“You need to see through a lens that this (building) is important and narrow down alternatives to respect the original, not adding things that don’t fit,” she said.
While in Sitka the two are consulting on preservation-related projects on the SJ Campus, which is a National Historic Landmark.
Bittner said there are many opportunities for funding projects and learning about preservation by subscribing to the online newsletter put out by the Office of History and Archaeology, at http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/oha/heritage.htm.
