Get Informed

Do you know what’s historic in your community? Want to learn how to find out? In Elkhart, Indiana Landmarks and Ruthmere Foundation are partnering in a series of four Heart City Heritage Talks to present experts in preservation who’ll share their expertise in research and outreach. The speakers will also share how preservation and heritage awareness can strengthen a sense of community.

Ann Linley, President of the Elkhart Historic and Cultural Preservation Commission, and Brad Miller, Community Preservation Specialist of our Northern Regional office, will kick off the series on March 14 with “Historic Preservation 101: From Maintaining a your Home to Preserving a Community.” The presentation takes a look at the basics of historic preservation, its impact on communities, and ways to get involved as an individual, homeowner, or community member.

The next talk on May 9 focuses on an Elkhart project that could be a model for other communities. Robin Wenger, the city’s grants coordinator, discusses The Elkhart Project’s in-depth research on the city’s buildings and landscapes. On July 11, Jeannie Regan-Dinius of Indiana’s Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology talks about historic cemeteries as an untapped resource.

The final talk, on September 12, features Kay Shelton of the National Lincoln Highway Association and Kurt Garner of Indiana’s Historic Michigan Road Association who’ll discuss Indiana’s historic highways and their role in heritage tourism and economic development.

Elkhart’s Havilah Beardsley House hosts a series of talks March-September that offer a deeper look at preservation and heritage.

The talks take place at the Dr. Havilah Beardsley House—the home of Elkhart’s founder—that Ruthmere Foundation purchased in 2007 and recently restored. You can buy tickets to a single talk or all four.

And if you have questions about old house research, maintenance or restoration, you don’t need to wait to speak with an expert after a talk. You can check in during Old House Doctor office hours, staffed by a rep from Indiana Landmarks, at the Havilah Beardsley House, 102 W. Beardsley Ave., in Elkhart on the second Monday of each month, February through October, 3-4 p.m.