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Community meeting on Thurs, Nov. 4 via Zoom
Dear supporter,
As the leaves continue to fall around me and November quickly approaches, I’m excited to share an upcoming event with you about an effort to document local history in Orange, Culpeper and Madison counties.
On Thursday, Nov. 4 at 5:30 p.m., join us for a virtual community meeting to learn about the proposed Rapidan River – Clark Mountain Rural Historic District and our work to get it listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places.
Staff from The Piedmont Environmental Council, along with The Fairfield Foundation and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources will lead a discussion about what a rural historic district is, the nomination process and the historical significance of the area.
There will be a presentation upfront, followed by plenty of time for questions! If you can’t tune in on Nov. 4, you can watch a recording of the meeting which will be sent to all registrants following the event.
Virtual Community Meeting
Thursday, November 4
5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
More about rural historic districts
A rural historic district is a geographic area with a significant concentration of buildings, structures, roads and waterways, cultural and historic landscapes and natural features, which has been recognized for its historical significance by formal listing on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places.
Throughout its history, PEC has worked to create historic districts across its nine-county service area in an effort to bring communities together to think about the long-term protection of their unique cultural and historic assets.
The Rapidan River – Clark Mountain Rural Historic District is a nearly 40,000 acre historic landscape covering Orange County and parts of Madison and Culpeper counties. Research for the Rapidan River – Clark Mountain Rural Historic District will include the identification of under-documented historic resources, such as country stores, vernacular buildings, as well as African American and Native American resources.
A historic district creates more awareness about a community’s unique cultural, historic and natural assets, which often leads to a greater effort to preserve that history for future generations. It is honorary and does not impose any restrictions on private property owners.
Official state and federal designation can also help landowners access funding for land conservation and historic resources rehabilitation from sources like the Virginia Land Preservation Tax Credit, Virginia Land Conservation Foundation and Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits.
Live within the proposed district?
Getting this beautiful, historically significant area listed on the state and national registers relies on the help of landowners who’ll take us on a short tour of their property so that we can record and photograph historic buildings, structures and significant sites. Creating this inventory helps document the history of the area and strengthens our nomination.
If you live within the boundaries of the proposed district, please consider filling out this historic district landowner form. Filling out the form will help our consultants connect directly with you to schedule a convenient time to document your property. Documentation typically takes between 15 and 30 minutes and involves photography of exteriors only.
I hope to see you at the meeting on November 4, and am also happy to connect with you via email to help answer any questions.
Sincerely,
Kristie Kendall
Historic Preservation Coordinator
The Piedmont Environmental Council
kkendall@pecva.org
(540) 347-2334 ex. 7061
