Mission

Maine Preservation, founded in 1972, is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit member-based statewide historic preservation organization.

Our Mission is to promote and preserve historic places, buildings, downtowns and neighborhoods, strengthening the cultural and economic vitality of Maine communities.

We envision a Maine where vibrant, active communities value and sustain their historic character.

Maine Preservation’s primary programs and activities include:

• Field Service Advisors, hired summer 2009, offer on-site assistance and recommendations to organizations, local officials, property owners and developers to help revitalize historic buildings. Chris Closs based in Yarmouth covers western and southern Maine, and Rochelle Bohm, in Bangor, covers eastern and northern Maine.
• Revolving Fund, established in 2009, acquires significant endangered historic properties throughout the state and catalyzes their rehabilitation by re-selling to private owners who agree to rehabilitate them under preservation easements. Upon resale, proceeds are returned to the Revolving Fund for reuse on future properties.
• Easements program preserves historic properties in perpetuity through voluntary agreements with owners recorded in the property deed. The easements are monitored by Maine Preservation and underwritten by a management fund.
• Tax Credit Projects Maine Preservation provides technical assistance to help owners and developers use both State of Maine and National historic tax credits, which have sparked over a quarter-of-a-billion dollars in investment in Maine since 2008. Maine Preservation also engages as a partner in projects in order to extend the use of the credit and increased project feasibility.
• Maine Preservation Honor Awards celebrate excellence in leadership, rehabilitation and craft.
• Maine’s Most Endangered List boosts local efforts and focuses statewide media attention on threatened places. Combined with Field Service assistance and seed grants, this list seeks to help projects succeed.
• Maine Preservation magazine is our new full-color annual summary of preservation activity in Maine.
• Statewide preservation conference gathers a broad range of parties from throughout the state to discuss economic development, community revitalization and technical advances in the field.
• Workshops teach wooden window restoration, masonry, plaster repair and other preservation skills.
• Education and Advocacy for preservation issues seeks funding, incentives and preservation successes on the national, state and local levels.
• Website features an online resource directory for historic preservation in Maine.
• Books and Publications feature Maine’s unique architectural legacy, for sale at our office and online bookstore.