Historic properties need to be protected

May is National Historic Preservation Month, a good time to recognize the importance of protecting our community’s heritage and the value it gives to the community.

In the words of Richard Moe, National Trust for Historic Preservation president, “American enthusiasm for historic preservation is stronger than ever, and we are working more effectively than ever – protecting the places that people care about; sparking a renewed sense of community pride; bringing new investment, new jobs and new economic vitality to historic commercial areas; keeping our history alive and close at hand so we can live with it, learn from it and be inspired by it.”

Both state and national events are being held this month to raise awareness of the historic properties included in the diverse and irreplaceable historic fabric of our communities. While a few of these properties are on the National Register for Historic Places, the official list of the nation’s historic places worthy of preservation, the vast majority of our historic properties, including those commercial buildings, residential homes, schools, churches and farm buildings that tell the story of our past, lie scattered across the Rathdrum Prairie without any recognition of their importance to our history.

In Rathdrum, as in many other communities, residents have given voice to their interest in protecting their historic properties. The city’s 1999 Downtown Revitalization plan, the Comprehensive Plan in 2002 and even the City Code (Title 9, Chapter 3 Historical Preservation – 1985) each identify historic preservation as important to the community and make a commitment to identify and help protect historic properties. Despite these tools, no commitment has ever been enforced, continuing to leave the fate of the city’s identified historic properties at the whim of individual owners and developers.

Today many of our outlying farms, with their picturesque farmhouses, barns, silos and even chicken coops, stand in danger of being demolished as residential developments race across the prairie. Many local officials predict unending development between our communities, with only signs to tell travelers whether they are in Post Falls or Rathdrum. If these predictions come true, we lose our sense of identity as a community and that means we didn’t work hard enough to protect our history, our autonomy as individual communities or our sense of place.

The good news is there are things one can do to help protect our historic properties. One can join a local preservation group, urge local officials to implement programs to protect the historic properties in your community, or participate in activities such as the national “This Place Matters” program, part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation observance of National Preservation Month.

This campaign gives each of us the opportunity to participate in drawing attention to the properties that are meaningful to us or that are at risk of demolition. Organizers hope Americans will join in by printing a sign and taking a picture of the places that matter to them.

This year also marks the 20th anniversary of Idaho Archaeology and Historic Preservation Month. This year’s theme, “Mining Idaho’s History,” places a focus on the significance that mining played in the development of Idaho. According to information put out by the Idaho State Historical Society, the discovery of gold was one of the most important events in Idaho, leading to an influx of people seeking their fortunes from the land.

Although some miners moved on, many stayed to become some of our earliest settlers. Today, mining remains an important industry in Idaho and Historic Preservation Month reminds us to take the time to identify and recognize the importance of protecting those properties that help tell our mining history.