National Trust for Historic Preservation

10/28/2026

On the morning of October 28, 1963, a wrecking ball began dismantling New York City’s Pennsylvania Station, a Beaux-Arts masterpiece completed just 53 years earlier.

Its destruction became a turning point in the fight to preserve America’s historic places. With no law strong enough to save Penn Station, public outcry galvanized a generation of preservation advocates and helped propel the modern preservation movement.

That momentum led to With Heritage So Rich, a landmark 1966 report documenting the threats facing the nation’s cultural heritage. On October 15 of that year, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Historic Preservation Act into law.

60 years later, this landmark law continues to protect places that tell the full American story. But those protections are under threat.

The loss of Penn Station helped shape the modern preservation movement. Today, the National Trust’s Historic Preservation Defense Fund carries that fight forward, defending the laws that protect irreplaceable places that connect us to our shared history.

Join the fight to ensure the story of Penn Station is not repeated: https://ow.ly/R7rB51018k4

Photo courtesy Library of Congress

10/27/2026

This week, the National Trust joined the National Parks Conservation Association and preservation partners in filing an amicus brief urging the court to stop construction of the proposed 250-foot Triumphal Arch, which would encroach on more than 40 historic properties in the memorial landscape around Arlington National Cemetery.

"Our preservation laws reflect a fundamental promise that the places that hold our shared history as Americans must be protected through careful planning, genuine public participation, and responsible stewardship." — Brent Leggs, National Trust President and CEO

The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) is scheduled to vote on approval of final site and building plans for the proposed Arch on Nov. 5.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗧 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗶𝗻.

1. Review the Amicus Brief to inform your comments: https://ow.ly/H5Fz5101plj

2. Submit written comments by noon ET on November 4: https://www.ncpc.gov/participate/guidelines/

3. Watch the meeting on November 5 beginning at 1:00 PM ET: https://www.ncpc.gov/live/

10/27/2026

The Fall 2026 issue of Preservation magazine is here!

If you’re a National Trust member, check your mailbox for the magazine soon!

Become a member to subscribe to the magazine. Learn more at: https://ow.ly/uf6W51019g2

The digital version of the magazine will available online on November 2.

10/26/2026

“I’m hopeful that out of crisis is an opportunity to shift public mindsets and to help our nation begin to understand what it means to steward and care for historic places in perpetuity.”
- Brent Leggs, President and CEO, National Trust for Historic Preservation

Today, the National Trust for Historic Preservation marks its 77th anniversary at a moment when our founding purpose is more important than ever.

Thank you to Fast Company for highlighting the acute challenges and threats facing the historic preservation field, and what is at stake for the places that tell our nation’s story.

We remain committed to defending the laws that protect our shared history, safeguarding the places that give it meaning, and ensuring that the public's voice is heard in preserving it.

Read the story: https://ow.ly/O8UO51010QZ

10/26/2026

“I don’t know why I thought it was doable. I think I was delusional. But all the glorious original detail, the ornate moldings, the fireplaces, 14-foot ceilings on the first floor, 16-foot ceilings on the second floor, all that was intact.”

When Nathan Saucedo saw a stately home for sale in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, a dream of renovating a large home quickly became a reality. While original details were intact, the house overall was in a state of disrepair: collapsed ceilings, missing windows, no heat or warm water.

With the support of his partner Oscar, the couple began a massive renovation to bring the home back from the brink. Learn how they tackled projects throughout the house and how they now invite the community in to experience and enjoy the circa 1840 building:

An interview with a Kentucky couple about their 11,000-square-foot historic home.

10/25/2026

At three National Trust Historic Sites that were once sites of enslavement, new leaders are bringing fresh perspectives to preservation.

Over the past year, Ruki Neuhold-Ravikumar took the reins at Woodlawn & Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House in Alexandria, Virginia; Margaret Salazar-Porzio became executive director at Oatlands in Leesburg, Virginia; and Adam Foreman stepped into the directorship at Shadows-on-the-Teche in New Iberia, Louisiana.

We sat down with all three to learn about their visions for the future: https://ow.ly/Lw3p50ZZ1hv

10/24/2026

"My call to action to you today is to keep in mind that preservation is not [passive]. It is active. It is hard work. It is caregiving."

- Donna Colson, National Trust for Historic Preservation Trustee Vice Chair and Filoli Board of Directors

Last week, leaders in design, architecture, philanthropy, and preservation gathered for a Power of Place Luncheon during the The San Francisco Fall Show at the invitation of Show Chair Suzanne Tucker.

Hosted by National Trust Board Chair Phoebe Tudor, the event honored Donna Colson for her extraordinary leadership and commitment to preservation.

National Trust President & CEO Brent Leggs moderated a timely conversation with Kara Newport, President & CEO of Filoli; Ken Fulk, designer and founder of Ken Fulk Inc.; and Ellen McGauley, Executive Editor of Veranda Magazine, that explored how partnerships across preservation, design, and media can inspire broader audiences to value and protect historic places and understand the Power of Place.

Photos by Drew Altizer Photography

10/23/2026

By October 23, 2025, the East Wing of the White House was gone. First built in 1902 and expanded in 1942, the East Wing was part of the People’s House for more than a century.

It held the offices of first ladies and their staff, the East Colonnade, and the White House Family Theater.

Demolition began on October 20 and was finished within days, without prior review by the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission or the approval of Congress.

The National Trust went to court because no historic place, not even the White House, should be torn down without following the law and hearing from the American people.

That fight is why we launched the Historic Preservation Defense Fund: to defend the laws that protect America’s historic places and the public’s voice in their future.

One year later, help us make sure what happened to the East Wing doesn’t happen again: https://savingplaces.org/hpdf

10/22/2026

The proposed federal permitting reform legislation (Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026) includes changes that could significantly weaken protections for historic and cultural resources.

As currently drafted, the bill’s preservation provisions would limit meaningful consultation with Tribal Nations and preservation stakeholders, narrow the scope of Section 106 review, expand unilateral federal agency authority, and constrain judicial review.

On October 21, 2026, staff from the National Trust held an in-depth discussion of the bill's most concerning provisions and their potential impacts on communities and historic places nationwide.

This webinar featured a technical analysis of key legislative language, insights into the current political landscape, and practical guidance on advocacy strategies.

Watch the recording: https://ow.ly/cx845100fV3

10/22/2026

This week at the National Preservation Law Conference, we had the opportunity to recognize and congratulate Tom Mayes, who recently retired as our Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel after 40 years of dedication and industry-leading work.

Tom’s leadership and legal expertise have been instrumental in protecting historic places and ensuring the American people can experience the full story of our nation.

Beginning his career at the National Trust as a summer intern, Tom went on to help expand our Historic Sites portfolio, bringing Kykuit, Philip Johnson’s Glass House, Villa Finale, the Edith Farnsworth House, President Lincoln’s Cottage, Acoma Sky City, and the Hotel de Paris on as National Trust Historic Sites.

He supported the launch of Historic Hotels of America and National Trust Insurance Services, and has served on the boards of Main Street America, the National Trust Community Investment Corporation, and the Montpelier Foundation as it achieved structural parity with the descendants of the enslaved.

A thought leader in the field, Tom taught at colleges and universities, received the National Endowment for the Arts Rome Prize in Historic Preservation, and authored Why Old Places Matter, sharing his insights on the value of historic preservation.

Most recently, Tom’s legal expertise has supported the National Trust’s ongoing lawsuits challenging the demolition of the White House East Wing and the announced renovation of the Kennedy Center.

The National Trust is deeply grateful for Tom’s four decades of service, dedication, and counsel. We would not be the organization we are today without his contributions.

Join us in celebrating Tom and wishing him well in retirement!