Restore Our Heritage

Restore Our Heritage
Name	Restore Our Heritage
Type	Nonprofit organization
Founded	2010
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Leader title	Executive Director
Leader name	Jane Doe

Restore Our Heritage is a nonprofit organization focused on the preservation and rehabilitation of historic sites and cultural landmarks within the United States. It engages in advocacy, fundraising, conservation, and educational outreach to protect architectural, archaeological, and commemorative resources. The organization collaborates with federal agencies, private foundations, academic institutions, and community groups to implement projects across urban and rural settings.

History

Founded in 2010, the organization emerged amid debates involving the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Smithsonian Institution, and state historic preservation offices such as the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the California Office of Historic Preservation. Its early campaigns referenced precedents set by the Historic Sites Act of 1935, the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, and efforts by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. Founders drew inspiration from conservation models used by the Trust for Public Land, the World Monuments Fund, and municipal initiatives like those of the Chicago Landmarks Commission and the Boston Landmarks Commission. Initial grants came from philanthropic entities including the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, while programmatic partnerships formed with the Library of Congress, the National Archives and Records Administration, and university departments at Harvard University, Yale University, and the University of Pennsylvania. Early media coverage appeared in outlets such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times, and the group participated in panels at the International Council on Monuments and Sites and the Association for Preservation Technology International.

Mission and Objectives

The stated mission aligns with frameworks advanced by the National Park Service, the World Heritage Committee, and UNESCO cultural heritage guidance, aiming to safeguard sites comparable to listings on the National Register of Historic Places and nominations to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Objectives include stabilizing endangered structures, documenting vernacular architecture like those cataloged by the Historic American Buildings Survey, and promoting public access analogous to programming at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The organization emphasizes compliance with standards such as the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and seeks synergies with municipal actors including the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission and the Philadelphia Historical Commission.

Programs and Projects

Programs span site conservation, archival digitization, education, and advocacy. Notable project types include barn restorations akin to examples in Vermont, courthouse rehabilitation reminiscent of work in Kentucky, and battlefield landscape protection similar to efforts at Gettysburg National Military Park and Antietam National Battlefield. The organization has run training workshops modeled after curricula at the Historic Trades Network and internships patterned on programs at the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts and the Winterthur Museum. Collaborative projects have involved the National Trust for Historic Preservation's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, the Preservation League of New York State, and state historical societies such as the Massachusetts Historical Society and the New Jersey Historical Commission. Research partnerships included faculty from Columbia University, University of Virginia, and Princeton University.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding streams combine private philanthropy, earned income from tours and publications, and competitive grants from agencies like the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Corporate sponsors have included firms comparable to Skanska, General Electric, and Bank of America in philanthropic roles, while legal and consulting partnerships mirrored work with firms such as Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and AECOM. The organization cultivated alliances with foundations including the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, the Kresge Foundation, and the Knight Foundation, and cooperated with municipal governments like the City of Philadelphia and the City of New Orleans. International engagement drew on exchanges with institutions like the British Council, the Getty Conservation Institute, and the European Heritage Heads Forum.

Controversies and Criticism

Critics compared disputes over project priorities to controversies faced by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and debates surrounding the Removal of Confederate monuments and memorials in the United States. Allegations centered on perceived biases in site selection, echoing criticisms leveled at organizations such as the American Battlefield Trust and tensions similar to those during debates over the Presidential Memorials Commission. Environmental groups referencing cases like the Dakota Access Pipeline protests raised concerns about development impacts, while some local stakeholders cited displacement anxieties akin to those discussed in studies of gentrification in New York City and controversies involving the High Line. Funding transparency questions recalled scrutiny seen by the American Red Cross and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in different contexts. Legal challenges involved administrative processes comparable to litigation in the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit over regulatory compliance.

Impact and Outcomes

Measured outcomes include listing support for properties on the National Register of Historic Places, stabilization of masonry and timber structures following guidelines from the National Park Service Technical Preservation Services, and increased public visitation similar to elevations seen at sites managed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Smithsonian Institution. Educational outputs comprised curriculum modules used in partnership with the National Council for the Social Studies and exhibitions comparable to shows at the Museum of the City of New York and the New-York Historical Society. Economic impact studies referenced methodologies used by the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute to assess tourism and job creation. The organization reported collaborations with local governments, preservation commissions, and community groups, contributing to adaptive reuse projects and heritage tourism initiatives in regions including New England, the Mid-Atlantic states, the Deep South, and the Rust Belt.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C.