Subject
title
Proclamation Declaring May 2026 as National Preservation Month in Rockville, Maryland
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Department
CPDS - Comprehensive Planning
Recommendation
Staff recommends the Mayor and Council read, approve, and present proclamation to Peter Fosselman, Chair, Rockville Historic District Commission, and members, Michael Goldfinger, Anita Neal Powell, Mercy Shenge, and Seth Denbo; and Nancy Pickard, Executive Director of Peerless Rockville.
Discussion
Every year in May, local preservation groups, state historical societies, and business and civic organizations across the country celebrate Preservation Month through events that promote historic places and heritage tourism, and that demonstrate the social and economic benefits of historic preservation. Preservation Month began as National Preservation Week in 1973. In 2005, the National Trust for Historic Preservation extended the celebration to the entire month of May and declared it Preservation Month to provide an even greater opportunity to celebrate the diverse and unique heritage of our country’s cities and states.
The following information is from the National Trust for Historic Preservation
This May (2026), Preservation Month takes on a new meaning. As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we’re looking to the places that bring its most powerful promise to life, that “all people are created equal,” and to the preservationists making sure those places endure.
This year, help us celebrate the historic sites, neighborhoods, and landmarks that tell the full American story-places that remind us of how far we've come and how far we still have to go.
Preservation Month is your moment. Share how the places you protect spark joy, inspire wonder, and connect communities to our shared history. We want to hear about historic sites that tell Americans who we are, places that continue to shape our 250-year journey to becoming a more perfect union.
The theme for National Preservation Month 2026 is "All People Are Created Equal." This theme emphasizes the 250th Anniversary of America by understanding, embracing, and sharing stories of America.
Mayor and Council History
The Mayor and Council recognize National Preservation Month annually.