Conference To Honor Fort Wayne’s Historic Architecture
Preserving Historic Places: Indiana’s Statewide Historic Preservation Conference will bring over 250 attendees to Fort Wayne September 30 – October 3 to explore the power of historic preservation in shaping vibrant communities.
Hosted at the Grand Wayne Convention Center, the conference features 24 educational sessions tailored for preservation professionals, architects, urban planners, realtors, and community advocates. Sessions highlight local initiatives—ranging from downtown revitalization and preserving Native American culture to uncovering neighborhood stories through historic research.
Plenary speakers include:
- Donovan Rypkema, principal and CEO of PlaceEconomics, discussing the economic impact of historic preservation and heritage tourism in Fort Wayne
- Kevan Biggs, owner and president of The Biggs Group, sharing the transformation of the General Electric campus into Electric Works
- George Bachnivsky and Paul Lindsay of MSKTD & Associates, and tile artisan Robert Wilson, who will offer insights into restoring the intricate tilework of the Allen County Courthouse
Tours will highlight:
- Fort Wayne’s downtown historic churches led by guides from ARCH, Fort Wayne’s historic preservation nonprofit: Trinity English Lutheran Church; First Presbyterian Church; Plymouth Congregational, United Church of Christ; and Trinity Episcopal Church
- The Miami Nation Cultural Resources Extension Office
- Concordia Theological Seminary’s Mid-Century Modern campus
- Recent upgrades to the Louis Kahn-designed Arts United Center
Mayor Sharon Tucker and Logan York, tribal historic preservation officer for the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, will welcome conference attendees at 1:45 p.m. on October 1 at the Embassy Theatre, 125 West Jefferson Boulevard. Following their remarks, historian and author Randy Harter will share Fort Wayne’s history through an illustrated talk with archival images.
The conference is open to the public. On-site registration is available. Pricing and the full conference schedule are available at indianalandmarks.org/preserving-historic-places-conference .
Preserving Historic Places: Indiana’s Statewide Historic Preservation Conference is hosted by Indiana Landmarks; the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DHPA); and Indiana University with support from the City of Fort Wayne.
Indiana Landmarks revitalizes communities, strengthens connections to our diverse 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 indianalandmarks.org .
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