Jessie Russett has been named director of Indiana Landmarks’ Eastern Regional Office in Cambridge City.

Russett will work to save and revitalize historic places and help solve preservation issues in Blackford, Decatur, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Henry, Jay, Madison, Randolph, Rush, Union and Wayne counties. Russett replaces J. P. Hall, who joined the preservation faculty at Ball State University’s College of Architecture and Planning.

On November 7, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Huddleston Farmhouse, Indiana Landmarks hosts a reception to give Eastern Indiana folks an opportunity to meet Russett and acquaint her with preservation opportunities and problems in their communities. Indiana Landmarks requests reservations in advance for the reception, online at meetjessie.eventbrite.com or by calling 317-639-4534.

An Indiana native who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Ball State, Russett spent the last five years working for the National Park Service as the archaeologist for parks in the Southeast and Sierra Nevada. Most recently, she was an archaeologist and tribal liaison at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in Three Rivers, Calif.

The Eastern Regional Office occupies the upper level of the Huddleston Farmhouse on the National Road (U.S. 40). Indiana Landmarks restored the 1841 structure to give visitors a glimpse into the daily lives of John and Susannah Huddleston and their 11 children, as well as the travelers who crowded the porches and yard and rented the farmhouse’s two “travelers’ kitchens” for cooking and sleeping in the early westward migration along the National Road.

The house and interpretive center are open for tours on Fridays, 1-3 p.m., May through October, and by appointment. The farmhouse and barn are also picturesque rental venues for weddings and other special events.

Russett can be reached at jrussett@indianalandmarks.org or 765-478-3172.

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MEDIA CONTACT:  Tina Connor, 317-639-4534 or 317-946-3127, tconnor@indianalandmarks.org

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Indiana Landmarks revitalizes communities, reconnects us to our heritage, and saves meaningful places. With nine offices located throughout the state, Indiana Landmarks helps people rescue endangered landmarks and restore historic neighborhoods and downtowns. People who join Indiana Landmarks receive its bimonthly magazine, Indiana Preservation. For more information on the not-for-profit organization, call 317-639-4534, 800-450-4534, or visit www.indianalandmarks.org.