The US National Trust

As the capital of the United States, Washington, D.C. communicates our nation’s founding principles through its architecture and urban design. Pierre Charles L’Enfant, the city planner chosen by George Washington, built the city “around the idea that every citizen was equally important,” where generations of Americans have exercised their rights to freedom of speech and assembly. The architecture and landscapes also embody the idea that our government is of and by the people. They belong to all of us and not to any single party or administration. This Preservation Month, the National Trust is highlighting five remarkable civic spaces—places that have shaped American democracy, and that hold meaning far beyond the borders of the Nation’s Capital. What places in your community define your civic identity? What would you fight to protect? 𝗔𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 Located in Virginia, the site now known as Arlington National Cemetery was once a plantation founded by Martha Washington’s grandson. The plantation passed down to his only daughter, Mary, who had married Robert E. Lee—and over time, the Custis-Lee family enslaved over 100 people at the site. In 1861, following Virginia’s secession from the Union, the Union Army gained control of the site for its strategic position protecting Washington, D.C. The site became a national cemetery in 1864, eventually holding the remains of approximately 16,000 Civil War soldiers. Arlington National Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial are connected by the Arlington Memorial Bridge, creating a physical expression of national healing. Today, this viewshed continues to honor those who, in Lincoln’s words, gave “the last full measure of devotion.” It is because this viewshed carries so much meaning that the National Trust has raised concerns about a proposed “Triumphal Arch,” whose scale, location, and design will disrupt this important visual and symbolic vista. The Arch will dwarf the Lincoln Memorial and disrupt the long, open, and uninterrupted viewsheds, overwhelming the entry to Arlington National Cemetery.

Completed in 1971, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is an iconic architectural treasure that serves both as the nation’s living memorial to President Kennedy and as the United States’ principal national performing arts center. Today, a coalition of eight leading cultural heritage and architectural organizations, jointly represented by three law firms, filed suit in federal district court in Washington, DC seeking to require the Trump administration to comply with historic preservation laws and secure Congressional authorization before implementing the President’s plans to further alter the Kennedy Center. The filing follows statements by President Trump that he may soon take the building “down to the steel” during a two-year closure beginning July 4, 2026. It is unprecedented for so many national and regional organizations to join together to defend a single historic building and its grounds, reflecting both the Kennedy Center’s significance and the breadth of concern the administration’s approach could weaken longstanding federal protections for historic sites nationwide. Read the full press release via the link in our Bio ⬆️ @nationalasla @AIANational @dcpresleague @docomomous @sah1365 @tclfdotorg

In the ever-changing federal landscape, the National Trust acknowledges the challenge of keeping up to date on the best ways to support specific federal programs. We hear the concerns of the field and have created a resource list with tools and information necessary to effectively advocate for preservation. Though not an exhaustive list, the five issues listed below are key to supporting the power of preservation in all its forms. 1. Supporting Our National Parks and Public Lands 2. Historic Preservation Fund 3. Protecting Museums and Historic Sites 4. Telling the Full American Story 5. Historic Tax Credit Swipe to learn about the challenges, how to take action, and what other organizations are leading the work on these five issues. Find all of the links via our Bio ⬆️ #SavingPlaces

This Preservation Month, the National Trust is highlighting five remarkable civic spaces—places that have shaped American democracy, and that hold meaning far beyond the borders of the Nation’s Capital. 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆’𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 No building in America carries more symbolic weight than the White House. Since John Adams first took up residence in 1800, it has served simultaneously as a home, a seat of executive power, and a material testament to the voice of the people, as its architect was selected through a public competition. A National Historic Landmark stewarded by the National Park Service on behalf of all Americans, it sits in the context of L’Enfant’s carefully conceived plan for the city, with a sightline to Capitol Hill that creates a physical reminder of the connections among our branches of government. Designed by Ireland-born architect James Hoban, its construction (1792-1800) reflects the complexity of American history: envisioned by George Washington, designed by an Irish immigrant, built by enslaved people, who contributed to nearly every phase of the work, alongside paid white workers. While the White House has evolved considerably over two centuries, it has endured as what generations of Americans have simply called the “People’s House.” That symbolism is inseparable from its setting and relatively modest scale and design. The White House’s position, in direct sightline with the Capitol, was not accidental. L’Enfant designed the city so that the legislative and executive branches would be visible to one another. Although the sightline was partially obscured by the construction of the Treasury Building, the proposed construction of a new White House Ballroom, if built as currently proposed, would further interrupt this critical sightline and overwhelm the intentionally modesty of the historic residence. On December 12, 2025, the National Trust filed suit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia, asserting that construction of the Ballroom is proceeding unlawfully and asking the court to halt further construction activities until the government completes the legally required review processes.

From New York’s iconic TWA Flight Center to the Eames House in California, modernism has shaped America’s landscape.     This #PreservationMonth, discover some of America’s modern icons ➡️   @worldmonumentsfund and @savingplaces are committed to safeguarding important heritage sites across the United States, including modern residences, restaurants, theaters, and more.   #SavingPlaces

Historic sites are living laboratories for connecting students to the past. They inspire students to get curious and creative, traits that are crucial in both science and the arts. @ann_norton_sculpture_gardens (ANSG) in West Palm Beach, Florida hosts an annual “STEAM Day,” which provides a unique opportunity for students to explore the arts and sciences in a historic place. This year’s “From Stone to STEAM” built bridges between disciplines by using hands-on activities to encourage students’ creative thinking. The Dorothy C. Radgowski Learning through Women’s Achievement in the Arts Grant Program, a joint project of the National Trust’s Where Women Made History initiative and @artistshomes.hahs program, supported this day of exploration. The grant funding helped transport 150 third-graders from Forest Hill Elementary School, a local institution primarily serving economically disadvantaged students. This annual program demonstrates that a combination of hands-on activities, holistic learning, and place-based inquiry at a historic place can be a transformative experience, helping students gain skills to become the creative, forward-thinking leaders of tomorrow. Discover six tips to help you get started on planning your own STEAM-based educational event via the link in our Bio. ⬆️ #SavingPlaces #HAHS

Join us on May 29 for the FREE webinar: Building Performance Standards and Historic Buildings. Get up to speed on an emerging climate policy that is impacting older and historic buildings across the country. More than a dozen cities and states have enacted Building Performance Standards (BPS), which require building owners to meet increasingly rigorous energy efficiency and carbon emissions performance targets. Learn how preservationists can ensure that historic buildings are not left behind as these important policies are adopted in additional jurisdictions across the country. This session is brought to you in partnership with @americanplanningassociation Urban Design and Preservation Division. When registering, select ‘UDP’ for the division. Register now via the link in our Bio ⬆️ #SavingPlaces

On a March day in 2025, Carolina Mountain Club’s Tom Weaver and some 35 volunteers ascended Tennessee’s bald-top Walnut Mountain and surrounded a three-walled log hut like ants. Within about five hours they had dismantled the 1938 Appalachian Trail shelter, which had been slated for removal by its owner, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC). Aside from the bottommost wood, rotted out from direct soil contact, the American chestnut logs were in surprisingly good shape—a portent for the structure’s next incarnation 14 miles down the road. Inspired by a similar Virginia project, the mountain club (also known as CMC) sourced grants from the ATC’s Tennessee and North Carolina specialty-license-plate programs to reconstruct the Adirondack lean-to in downtown Hot Springs, North Carolina, through which the famous 2,000-plus-mile route passes. “There are Appalachian Trail blazes right in the sidewalk,” says Weaver. Crossing state lines meant hoops to jump through, but also many hands on deck: the town of Hot Springs and CMC, of course, as well as the ATC; the Appalachian Ranger District of North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest; Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee; and both respective state historic preservation offices. After input from historians and archaeologists, the shelter’s bones were sprayed with a preservative and meticulously reassembled atop a concrete pad and new foundation in the summer of 2025. CMC will maintain it in perpetuity. Now even non-hikers can witness a rare work of historical trail craftsmanship, originally built by the New Deal–era Civilian Conservation Corps, and engage with a fully accessible interpretive exhibit. “It really is enhancing the prestige of Hot Springs as a trail town,” Weaver says. Photo by David Huff #PreservationMagazine

America has not always been a haven for Black women to thrive, but time has shown they have used their homes as centers of rest, revival, and resilience. Black women have long been able to establish community wherever they go, and their homes became safe spaces for them and their families to rest. The National Trust’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund has provided grants to help restore and preserve the homes of several incredible Black women, swipe to learn more about nine of these historic sites. @cliftonhousebaltimore @annespenceramericanpoet @faithringgold Unita Blackwell Freedom House @ermahaymanhouse Nettie Asberry House Azurest South @lvhullartist @paulimurraycenter #SavingPlaces #TellTheFullStory

The Eisenhower Executive Office Building is a National Historic Landmark. Its distinctive granite exterior isn't just beautiful, it's historically significant. Painting over it would trap moisture, damage the stone, and create a costly, irreversible cycle of maintenance at taxpayer expense. Yesterday we testified before the National Capital Planning Commission in opposition to the proposal to paint the EEOB. NCPC's own staff raised key questions about the paint and also identified alternatives, like cleaning and lighting the building, which would enhance its appearance without causing permanent harm. We're urging the Commission to listen to the public, the experts, and its own staff, and deny this proposal.

Need project funding in your state? The National Trust has several grants currently open to help support your preservation projects. Applications are due June 1 for the following: - National Trust Preservation Funds (various states across the country) are intended to encourage preservation at the local level by supporting on-going preservation work and by providing seed money for preservation projects. Grants range up to $5,000. - Bartus Trew Providence Preservation Fund are designed to encourage preservation at the local level by providing money for the acquisition, maintenance, and preservation of historic landmarks and memorials on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Grants range up to $25,000 - Henry A. Jordan, M.D., Preservation Excellence Fund provides funding to deserving organizations demonstrating commitment to the protection of natural and cultural resources in the Mid-Atlantic region. Grants range up to $7,500 Find all of the application guidelines via the link in our Bio ⬆️ #SavingPlaces #PreservationMonth

Tomorrow, May 7 at 1p ET, the National Capital Planning Commission is scheduled to review plans and hear public comments on proposed alterations for the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. While the deadline to submit comments has passed, you can join the meeting tomorrow virtually, here: https://www.ncpc.gov/live/ Rob Nieweg, Senior Vice President for Preservation Services and Outreach at the National Trust; David Scott Parker, FAIA and member of the National Trust Board of Trustees; and Kim Hoagland, professor emerita, author, and member of the National Trust Board of Trustees, submitted comments and will deliver remarks during the meeting. Read their comment submissions and learn more: /eeob