by Jon Valalik (Photo Credit: Library of Congress) Hello, and welcome to Old House 101! Today we’re talking about the great influence that George Washington had on Historic Preservation in the United States.   The practice of active historic preservation hasn’t always existed in the United States. By luck or circumstance, we do have a few samples from very early in American history, but it wasn’t until the mid 19th century that organized efforts began to seek out and save structures, monuments, and sites as memorials for important figures and educational tools for later generations. It’s no surprise, then, that one of the most important figures in the foundation of the United States was also, unintentionally, responsible for ushering into favor the idea of saving and showcasing these places.   George Washington left his mark all over the

by Jon Valalik (photo of the Leander Reeve Stone House in Hampton, IA by Ann Sullivan-Larson) If you own an historic home, the State Historic Preservation Office might turn out to be your new best friend! Read all about it in this week’s edition of Old House 101.   The State Historic Preservation Office’s main purpose is to survey, document and nominate historic properties for the National Register of Historic Places, as well as support their rehabilitation. In addition to physical conservation, they promote historic preservation at a smaller scale by helping local communities educate and address issues of preservation with the public in their respective states. If you own an old house, there are some perks in here for you,

by Jon Valalik (photo by John Phalen) Hello, and welcome to Old House 101! You’ve probably heard of the National Register of Historic Places, but do you know what the heck it is? Jon’s here to tell us all about it!   As a publication dedicated to bringing to light historic homes and buildings for sale across the country, we felt it wise to introduce tips, resources, and general insight on the preservation of such structures. And given that the buildings listed on CIRCA, though significant on a nationwide scale, are often most important at a local level, it seems appropriate the we start by introducing the National Register of Historic Places — the US government’s official list of historic places across the