Preserve Iowa Summit to be held in Mason City Thursday through Saturday

 

MASON CITY — The Preserve Iowa Summit will take place starting tomorrow in Mason City. The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs holds the statewide conference every year to promote historic preservation.

Cultural Affairs spokesman Michael Morain says the event encourages Iowans to preserve the historic properties and assets that make their communities unique.  “There’s so many cities and towns across Iowa that have really, really great historic properties that are worth preserving and saving, to tell those stories and that history. Every year, this conference for preservationists moves around the state, and this year we are delighted to go to Mason City, which is such a poster child for historic preservation. So many of the stories of Mason City are told through its buildings.”

Morain says there are many buildings in Mason City that have caught national and international attention.  “We have been trumpeting the fact that Mason City is listed on Conde Nast Traveler’s rankings of the 20 best cities in the world for architecture lovers, so Mason City knows how to do historic preservation right.”

Morain says the event features several tours to point out highlights of historic architecture as well as speakers that will discuss the best ways to go about historic preservation.  “There will be sessions and keynote speakers from across the country and across the state talking about some of the nuts and bolts and the nitty gritty details of how to do historic preservation in a sustainable and economical way that really benefits the community, not only the property owners but some of the ripple effects that take place when historic preservation happens.”

Morain says summit attendees will be touring different parts of Mason City to see specific historic preservation successes.  “We’re excited to see some of the examples in Mason City and to tour the Rock Crest and Rock Glen neighborhood, the Fire Station #2, the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Park Inn Hotel, the Egloff House which was moved after a flood a couple of years ago. There’s some remarkable success stories in Mason City that I think can teach other Iowans about how to do historic preservation right.”

The Preserve Iowa Summit takes place from Thursday through Saturday. For more about the event, click here