Sharing this sad news and post by Marion Meginnis: DURING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, LET'S CELEBRATE TWO WOMEN WHO SHEPARDED HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN DAVENPORT Over the past two weeks, we have lost two women that should be remembered. Marlys Svendsen was the first historic planner hired by an Iowa city. She worked for the city of Davenport from 1979 to the mid 1980s when she created her own preservation firm. Marlys was hired by Charley Heston to document historic buildings. When her work was completed, more than 1600 structures were listed in the National Register and more than a dozen neighborhoods had received historic status. But Marlys was more than a scholar performing a task. She engaged the public in workshops and public meetings. She compiled her books into several soft cover volumes published by Davenport. Her 1986 hard cover "Davenport A Pictorial History," sponsored by First Bank, celebrated the city's 150th Birthday. Marlys went on to have a distinguished preservation career. But here, as a 26-year-old recent graduate, she built a foundation that should inspire us all. One of Marlys' restoration projects was the Bishop's House aka The Hilltop Inn, on Brady Street. Toward the end of her life, her memory dimmed. A few years ago, her husband told me that, despite this, her favorite morning coffee mug sported a picture of the Bishop's House. https://www.legacy.com/.../name/marlys-svendsen-obituary... Mary Ellen Chamberlin, who passed away on March 17th, will be remembered for a very active community and political career. She, too, was a preservationist. Heading the Riverboat Development Authority, she saw clearly the role preservation could make in revitalizing struggling urban areas, an enormous challenge as the Quad Cities fought its way back from the Farm Crisis fallout in the 1980s and 1990s. She recognized the importance of heritage neighborhoods. She and the RDA board funded a number of preservation initiatives. https://www.hmdfuneralhome.com/obituaries/mary-chamberlin

The countdown begins! It's less than two weeks away to nominate your project or favorite preservationist for a Preservation at Its Best Award! Nominations are due April 1, 2026. The Preservation at Its Best Awards celebrate exceptional achievements in historic preservation across Iowa. Each year, Preservation Iowa recognizes individuals, organizations, projects, and communities whose work demonstrates outstanding commitment to historic preservation. By honoring these achievements, the organization aims to inspire others to take meaningful action to protect, restore, and promote Iowa’s historic resources, fostering a broader culture of preservation throughout the state. Award-winning preservation projects often do more than celebrate preserved historic buildings – they demonstrate how these resources can be thoughtfully repurposed and reintegrated into their communities. By revitalizing housing, supporting local businesses, and drawing people back to downtowns and neighborhoods, these projects boost local economies while fostering community pride. They also inspire further preservation efforts, ensuring that Iowa’s rich heritage remains a vibrant and accessible part of everyday life. Award recipients are announced in June, at the statewide Preserve Iowa Summit in Ankeny, providing a high-profile platform to recognize exemplary preservation work and inspire others to engage in preservation efforts. By submitting a nomination, you help shine a spotlight on important preservation work in Iowa, celebrating the dedication, creativity, and impact of those who protect and revitalize the state’s historic resources. Information about how to nominate is at: https://preservationiowa.org/programs/preservation-at-its-best-awards/ #iowaaia #friendsofhistoricpreservation #savecrheritage

+2

Register now for the Preserve Iowa Summit! Preservation Iowa members receive a special discount on registration! We look forward to this event every year, a chance to learn something new and make new preservation friends! The Preserve Iowa Summit is the premier conference for professional and volunteer preservationists in Iowa. Through expert presentations, workshops and mobile workshops, participants will learn new ways to preserve Iowa’s past for the future. This year's Preserve Iowa Summit will be June 2–3, 2026, at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny. Register here: https://opportunityiowa.gov/events/preserve-iowa-summit-0. Summit organizers have set aside a limited number of discounted registrations for Preservation Iowa members. Preservation Iowa members should watch their email for a special registration code worth a $40 off the cost of registration. If you're not a Preservation Iowa member, please join at: https://preservationiowa.org/ As part of the Summit, Preservation Iowa invites Summit attendees to an evening reception on Tuesday, June 2 from 5:30 to 7:30pm. Please rsvp for the reception when you register for the Summit. We look forward to seeing you!

http://opportunityiowa.gov

Preserve Iowa Summit

The Preserve Iowa Summit is the premier conference for professional and volunteer…

It's Women History Month! The Monuments Toolkit at World Heritage USA is hosting Women as Stewards of Heritage Webinar In honor of Women's History Month, the Monuments Toolkit at World Heritage USA is hosting Women as Stewards of Heritage, a webinar on Thursday, March 19 at 2 PM Eastern / 1 PM Central / 11 AM Pacific. Moderated by Program Director Diana Hernandez, we are honored to be joined by Dr. Georgette Grier-Key, Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Eastville Community Historical Society; Izel Lopez, Deputy Director of the Texas Tribal Buffalo Project; and Sehila Mota Casper, Executive Director of Latinos in Heritage Conservation. Together, these three visionaries are expanding the very definition of heritage, centering the knowledge, leadership, and living memory of African American, Indigenous, and Laitne women in the work of historic preservation today. Register here: https://usicomos.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/usicomos/eventRegistration.jsp?event=224&

Hart Family Fund for Small Towns: Guidelines & Eligibility Grants from the Hart Family Fund for Small Towns are intended to encourage preservation at the local level by providing seed money for preservation projects in small towns with populations of 10,000 or less. These grants help stimulate public discussion, enable local groups to gain the technical expertise needed for particular projects, introduce the public to preservation concepts and techniques, and encourage financial participation by the private sector. Grants from the Hart Family Fund for Small Towns generally range from $2,500 to $15,000. The selection process is very competitive. Deadline is May 1, 2026. More information here: https://savingplaces.org/hart-family-fund?utm_medium=email&utm_source=update&utm_campaign=grants

Less than a month away to nominate your project or favorite preservationist for a Preservation at Its Best Award! Nominations are due April 1, 2026. The Preservation at Its Best Awards celebrate exceptional achievements in historic preservation across Iowa. Each year, Preservation Iowa recognizes individuals, organizations, projects, and communities whose work demonstrates outstanding commitment to historic preservation. By honoring these achievements, the organization aims to inspire others to take meaningful action to protect, restore, and promote Iowa’s historic resources, fostering a broader culture of preservation throughout the state. Award-winning preservation projects often do more than celebrate preserved historic buildings – they demonstrate how these resources can be thoughtfully repurposed and reintegrated into their communities. By revitalizing housing, supporting local businesses, and drawing people back to downtowns and neighborhoods, these projects boost local economies while fostering community pride. They also inspire further preservation efforts, ensuring that Iowa’s rich heritage remains a vibrant and accessible part of everyday life. Award recipients are announced in June, at the statewide Preserve Iowa Summit in Ankeny, providing a high-profile platform to recognize exemplary preservation work and inspire others to engage in preservation efforts. By submitting a nomination, you help shine a spotlight on important preservation work in Iowa, celebrating the dedication, creativity, and impact of those who protect and revitalize the state’s historic resources. Information about how to nominate is at: https://preservationiowa.org/programs/preservation-at-its-best-awards/ #iowaaia #friendsofhistoricpreservation #savecrheritage

+2