President's Message- November 7, 2008

We had a very successful and positive APTA Board of Directors Meeting today and even through the calendar year is coming to a close, the APTA is still involved in several activities before the end of the year. The new Events section of this site will keep all interested persons informed about upcoming events. I urge all chapter presidents to keep the Executive Director infromed as to upcoming APTA events so that we can get items listed on the events calendar. I also want to remind everyone that we are accepting nominations for the 2009 APTA marking program throgh March 1, 2009. The nomination form is available through this website.

The Fayette County Chapter has been re-formed and is in full swing. Likewise, another new chapter is being considered in West Tennessee. If you are interested in forming a chapter please contact us as one of our key missions is to promote preservation throught the State of Tennessee. Contrary to what you might have heard no site historic is necessary for chapter formation.The APTA is also interested in intervening to protect and preserve endangered historic sites so I urge you to keep us informed if we can help.

If you want to help promote preservation in this state we have a couple of board positions open and we are always looking for energetic and devoted preservationists to serve. Remember, our by-laws and charter calls on us to receive real and personal property for preservation purposes, to advocate for preservation, to educate the public about preservation efforts, to provide technical assistance and to work with other organizations to accomplish the preservation of the history of this state. We welcome all persons with interests in these areas. We are also a 501 (c) (3) organization so your gifts to the APTA are tax deductible. Please call on us if we can be of assistance.

President's Message-September 7, 2008

It has been a busy summer for the APTA! In addition to the four historic markings featured on the historic markings page on this site, I have visited many existing APTA sites and I plan to visit them all before the year is out. As I have said to many members during these site visits, I am simply amazed about the beauty and history that permeates all of the APTA sites. I have also realized that the need for the APTA continues to grow. Daily, historic homes and buildings are being destroyed and there are very few nonprofit agencies or entities willing to actually own, operate and preserve historic properties. The APTA's work in not done, it is really just beginning!

I would like mention a few happenings at APTA sites. The Smithsonian Museum on Mainstreet continues at the APTA's Little Courthouse Museum in Bolivar throughSeptember 21, 2008. The Buchanan Log House in Nashville is celebrating its 200th birthday this year. The Memphis APTA chapter and the APTA have been working to ensure that the historic Lee House in Memphis is preserved. The marking of the Dome Building in Chattanooga was a fantasic event and will both give the APTA a presence again in Hamilton County while, at the same time, it will promote public interest in that grand commercial building. I also wanted to mention that a unique program, the Three Stars of Tennessee exhibition in Jackson, will take place from November 1 through 16, 2008. This will be a unique display of Tennessee artifacts and art to beneift the West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation.

The APTA is now accepting nominations for the 2009 marking program and will continue to accept them through March 1, 2009. The nomination form is on this site. We need the assistance of all our members in carrying out our goals and objectives and I would love to have volunteers with grants skills contact myself or Martha Sloan about forming a grants committee to assist chapters and other sites to obtain financing assistance. Finally, the APTA will continue to seek opportunities to preserve historic properties through acquisition, by gift or by preparing and recording historic conservation easements. If we can be of assistance in any of these areas just contact us.

President's Message- July 13, 2008

Fellow APTA members- As part of the content on our new website, I intend to write a monthly President's message in an attempt to better inform interested persons about APTA activities and programs.On July 1, 2008 when I took office as the APTA President I was humbled about attempting to fill the shoes of so many fine past presidents since 1951. At the same time,I welcome the challenge to try to carry out the stated goals of the APTA- preservation of historic structures within the State of Tennessee, to promote the understanding of the history of our state, and to edcuate the public about preservation. Since I became a member several years ago I have been enthused about the things the APTA can accomplish in this state in the preservation field. At the same time, I have reached the realization that preservation dollars are scarce and limit the things we can do. In order to move forward to achieve our goals I propose a ten point program for the APTA for the next two year period as follows:

1. Growth of chapter and Associate membership.A special emphasis on attracting young people with preservation interests.

2. Provide better support and technical assistance to the chapters.

3. To increase the number of chapters.

4. To create a "revolving fund" to acquire and preserve, for the short-term, historic structure in danger of destruction.

5. To become more involved in the preservation of historic buildings through the use of historic conservation easements and historic restrictions and covenants.

6. To train volunteers as grantspersons and to seek grants assistance for chapters.

7. To provide centralized legal assistance to chapters.

8. To remain a "preservation player" and use out skills and resources to work in concert with other preservation agencies to preserve historic properties.

9. To create an APTA presence in as many counties in Tennessee as possible through media promotions, historic markings and chapter events.

10. To promote APTA sites through the newly revised website and our new APTA brochure.

I realize this program is expansive. I also realize it will take the efforts of all APTA members to make progress in these areas. But as this state's oldest historic preservation organization, I belive we have the ability to be a leader in the preservation field in Tennessee. I welcome the assistance of all members to carry out this ambitious program. Please contact myslef or Martha Sloan, the Executive Director if you wish to become involved in any of these programs.