I was in Boston earlier this week for the launch of Partners in Preservation – a terrific $1 million grant program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express.  For the next five weeks, you can join thousands of others who will go online at the PiP website and vote for your favorite Greater Boston landmark.  The winning site in the popular vote is guaranteed to get a grant of up to $100,000, and the remaining funds will be allocated among some of the other 25 sites who are part of the competition.

Tuesday was a beautiful day in Boston and we were in historic Faneuil Hall for the launch event.  Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino were on hand to help us kick off the program (see photo below).  Representatives of the 25 sites were also there – many dressed out in period clothes to depict the historical era of their site.  One of the more innovative schemes came from the Lowell Boat Shop volunteers (see photo above) who brought oars with “Lowell’s” painted on one side and “Vote LBS” on the other.  Unfortunately, security wouldn’t let them bring the oars into the hall, but they were ready with masks of their shop’s founder.  Very clever group these Bostonians.

The Wall Street Journal called Partners in Preservation the “American Idol of historic preservation.”  I encourage you to click on the link above, get information about the 25 sites, and “pull the lever” once a day for the next few weeks on the site(s) that captures your fancy.  You’ll enjoy finding out more about some well known landmarks as well as some hidden gems.  And the folks in Boston will appreciate your interest in their historic places.

More to come…

DJB