May is Historic Preservation Month—Here’s what to know in Huntsville

With May being Historic Preservation Month, I realized that one of the aspects of Huntsville I fell in love with immediately when I moved here was the city’s long and rich history, and with the historic preservation efforts happening here in the city, that rich history is right in front of all of us.

That’s why May holds a great deal of significance here in Huntsville. Here’s how Huntsville is celebrating this special month:

#SavingPlacesHsv campaign

This year’s #SavingPlacesHsv campaign will showcase numerous events, blogs and social media posts highlighting activities and opportunities for Preservation Month in May.

The National Trust shares historic preservation content each year during a month-long campaign to inspire discussions about preservation, why it’s important and how you can get involved. The campaign further encourages people to share the historic places and spaces that are meaningful to them through social media.

“By teaming up with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, we hope to inspire discussions about historic preservation, why it’s important and how our community can get involved.”

Katie Stamps, Huntsville preservation planner

Use the hashtag #SavingPlaces on your preferred social media platforms to join the national conversation.

Historic Preservation Month events

Throughout the month of May, Huntsville will observe and celebrate preservation efforts in the community, and a bevy of events are scheduled over the next few weeks to commemorate Historic Preservation Month.

“Our Preservation Month events and promotions are designed to bring the community together to remember our past and reflect on our future. We hope everyone with an interest in preservation or the history of Huntsville will get involved and contribute to a larger conversation about the importance of saving places.”

Mayor Tommy Battle

Check out these events:

• Downtown Huntsville Walking Tours: May 5, at 6PM and May 20, at 10AM, First National Bank, West Side Square. The free Downtown Huntsville Walking Tour brings to life the evolution and history of Huntsville’s downtown commercial district from the City’s earliest settlers to the Space Age and beyond.
• Make-N-Take Mother’s Day Cards: Saturday, May 6, from 11AM to 2PM, Harrison Bros. Hardware. Historic Huntsville Foundation provides the cards and colored pencils; kids provide the imagination for these make-n-take Mother’s Day cards, which feature local artist Christina Wegman’s original sketches of places where Huntsville moms made history!
• History Harvest: Saturday, May 13, 2PM to 3:30PM. Join William Hampton from Huntsville Revisited and the City of Huntsville at the H.C. Blake Art & History Center to share and learn about Huntsville’s Black history. 
• Preservation Happy Hour: Thursday, May 18, 5PM to 6:30PM. Baker & Able rooftop bar.Those interested in history and preservation who would like to meet and network with like-minded professionals, property owners, advocates and volunteers can attend this free event.

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