It's been a busy few days for us at HPLO Headquarters as we make last-minute site visits in the Willamette Valley, meet with University of Oregon students finishing their fall term classes, and kick-off our year-end campaign to save endangered places in 2012. If you haven't seen our homepage in awhile, now is the time to check it out! …

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Summer has taken an abrupt halt (whether a hiatus or the annual hibernation, we can’t tell yet) across much of Oregon, but in the preservation world that isn’t always such a bad thing. Anyone who’s had experience surveying historic properties knows that as much as Oregonians love their trees, leaves do a great job concealing historic properties. With… Continue

What little summer we're getting this year is not going to last much longer. Soon, the familiar drizzle will be back and our focus will turn to keeping warm. The fleece, packed up not all that long ago, will come out along with the throw blankets as we cozy down with a good book or our favorite tv program and try to keep warm. …

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For those following the permit request to demolish the National Register listed Dr. Pierce Barn, the application was heard at the Cottage Grove Historic Landmark Commission on Monday, April 18. With a staff report urging the delay of demolition, the Landmark Commission followed suit by unanimously voting to stay the granting of a demolition permit for 90 days.…

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This Monday, April 18, the Cottage Grove Historic Landmark Commission will be considering an application to demolish the Dr. Pierce’s Barn. Those of you who have seen the barn in person or in photograph know that it isn’t just a barn: it’s an advertising barn!

The sign on the barn represents a type of early advertising popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The architecture of the barn within the rural landscape was an integral… Continue

Thought I'd share a preview of the goals the HPLO is setting for 2011.  We'll post a more detailed list on the main website in the next week or so.

• Provide effective support of local issues with the guidance of our Regional Advisors.
• Build legislative awareness that preservation/rehabilitation = JOBS. 
• Convene a Preservation Roundtable to implement recommendations from our 2010 Special Report.
• Identify and help Oregon's Most Endangered…

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One of the best things about the holidays is the opportunity to take stock of one's blessings. Despite what the media blasts at us 24/7 about the dismal state of affairs, the list of good stuff in our lives is a long one. I'm often struck by the bounty represented by historic resources - the richness of craftsmanship, authenticity, materials, and the STORIES they tell.…

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As far back as I can recall, I've been drawn to old houses, buildings, neighborhoods, bridges, you name it. They have so much SUBSTANCE and character! Both in their design, their story, and the fact that real people made them with their own hands, sweat, inspiration. They identify a Real Place in a way no strip mall or cookie-cutter subdivision can.…

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