Public Seminar on Historic Properties: Saturday, November 6, 9:00 am

Board Room, County Administration Building, 301 N. Buxton St., Indianola

Meeting Information & Agenda:

A seminar on historic preservation, researching historic properties, the National Register of Historic Places, and historic tax credits will be hosted by the Warren County Historic Preservation Commission on Saturday November 6 in the board room on the second story of the Warren County Administration Building (301 N Buxton St, Indianola).  All county residents are invited and encouraged to attend all or part of the day’s activities.

The seminar is part of the year-long Planning for Preservation project currently underway for the Warren County Historic Preservation Commission.  Public education about historic preservation is a component of this project. 

The seminar on November 6 will start with a public meeting on the Planning for Preservation project and historic preservation at 9:00 AM.  This meeting will outline the basics of historic preservation and gather public input on the role of historic preservation in the future of Warren County.  Attendees are invited to attend only this initial meeting or stay for additional sessions throughout the rest of the date

The seminar will continue after this public meeting with a session on how to research a historic building utilizing local, state, and online resources, starting at 10:30 AM.  A lunch break will then follow from 12-1, with attendees invited to bring their own lunch or take a break for lunch and return for the afternoon sessions.

The afternoon sessions will begin at 1:00 P.M. with a session on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), beginning with the initial process of evaluating a property’s eligibility for listing through development of an Iowa Site Inventory form.  The process and benefits of listing a property or historic district on the NRHP will be outlined and discussed. 

The seminar will conclude with the final session on historic tax credits and other financial incentives for historic preservation projects, starting at 2:30 P.M.  Iowa has both a state historic tax credit program and a federal historic tax credit program, as well as historic grants available through the State Historical Society of Iowa for properties listed on the NRHP.

Project consultant Rebecca McCarley of SPARK Consulting in Cedar Rapids will be presenting information for the public meeting as well as leading the sessions for the remainder of the day on researching historic properties, nominating properties to the National Register, and utilizing historic tax credits for rehabilitation projects.

Residents of Warren County and the surrounding area are invited to attend the full day-long seminar or only attend for the morning or afternoon or session of particular interest.  Everyone is encouraged to attend the public meeting at 9:00 AM as an introduction to the project and overview of historic preservation activities.  Registration is encouraged for the three subsequent sessions to ensure adequate handouts.  The button to register is located on this page.

The Warren County Historic Preservation Commission received a Certified Local Government (CLG) grant in spring 2021 from the State Historical Society of Iowa to complete this Planning for Preservation project.  In addition to training and educational opportunities, this planning project will set short and long goals for the commission as they move forward with additional projects.  

The Warren County Historic Preservation Commission is a county organization appointed by the Board of Supervisors.  Current members include Alfonso Valenzuela-Gumucio, Melody Kirk, Carli Milby, Skip Phillips, and Judy Russell.  Anyone interested in additional information on the commission or the Planning for Preservation project is encouraged to contact any commission member.