Mayor Steve Bakken issued a proclamation today for the City of Bismarck, declaring May as Historic Preservation Month. Established by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1973, Historic Preservation month provides a way to promote historic places for the purpose of instilling pride of community and nation, promoting heritage tourism, and showing the social and economic benefits of historic preservation. The proclamation supports the ongoing efforts of the Historic Preservation Commission. 

The Historic Preservation Commission is a seven-member advisory board that works together to protect the City's heritage and promotes the cultural, educational, economic, and general well-being of the community by designating, promoting, preserving, and protecting historic assets within the City of Bismarck.

The Historic Preservation Commission currently has several projects underway. An ongoing architectural survey of the Highland Acres neighborhood is expected by the end of the summer. The Historic Preservation Commission was recently awarded a grant to hire a qualified consultant to complete the nomination form to request the designation of Highland Acres as a Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.

Other Historic Preservation Commission activities include drafting a historic preservation plan to guide the commission’s goals and objectives and gearing up for the 150-year sesquicentennial of Bismarck in 2022. 

To learn more about the Historic Preservation Commission, please visit www.bismarcknd.gov. You may also contact Will Hutchings, Planner, with the City of Bismarck Community Development Department at 701-355-1850 or the State Historic Preservation Office at 701-328-2089.