Preserving Alabama: Finding Your Historic Rhythm

Make your hotel reservations for the conference now, Preserving Alabama: Finding Your Historic Rhythm  to be held at Alabama’s Rhythm & Blues Capitol – the world famous Shoals.  For conference hotel rate at $119 per night, contact the Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa at 1-800-593-6450.  Conference hotel rate is open through Monday, March 24 at $119 per night. Conference Dates: Thursday, April 24 – Saturday, April 26.

April’s Alabama Preservation Conference Offers Participants a Way to Avoid the Blues. The 2014 Alabama Preservation Conference will be held on Thursday, April 24 – Saturday, April 26 in The Shoals.  Preserving Alabama: Finding Your Historic Rhythm will focus on historic preservation and its economic effect on local communities with presentations on relevant preservation topics, including everything from using historic tax credits and incentives to leverage restoration projects, to the promotion of the Main Street approach, to downtown revitalization.

States Rhonda Davis, conference organizer and Alabama Trust board vice president, “This year’s conference will address vital economic needs related to preservation as well as some fun events and tours planned so everyone can explore the historic Shoals area and enjoy the strong music heritage here.  We are fortunate and grateful to Shoals’ volunteers, led by board member Bo Osborn, who are helping with the conference arrangements and program.”

Among the Friday sessions will be panel discussions, hands-on workshops, presentations and site visits of historic downtown Florence.  Conference goers will have an opportunity to learn the benefits of Historic Tax Credits and how to prepare applications for preservation projects.  Main Street Alabama director Mary Helmer will introduce the four-point Main Street Program to communities interested in the revitalization of their historic downtowns.  This track will offer presentations that include establishing small business incubators and the use of social media in marketing plans.

Saturday’s schedule will include a tour of area historic house museums and a tour of The Shoals music industry sites.  On Friday evening, the Alabama Preservation Awards will be presented, followed by a screening of the documentary The Muscle Shoals Sound on the campus of the University of North Alabama.

The 2014 Alabama Preservation Conference is presented by the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation, Alabama Historical Commission and Black Heritage Council of Alabama.  For more information about the conference, email alabamatrust@athp.org.