The National Register of Historic Places is a listing established by the Federal Government to identify locations and properties considered to be historically significant. For further information, follow this link to the National Register’s website.

The Historical Society does not have a list of recommend preservation organizations. There are many noteworthy companies in the area that can assist with preservation consultation, physical work and material acquisition. For basic information or to learn more on your own, The National Park Service has materials on their website regarding this topic, which can be accessed with this link.

The Bureau of Historic Preservation (BHP) serves as the state of Pennsylvania’s Historic Preservation Office. This governmental agency identifies and protects the architectural and archaeological resources of Pennsylvania. To learn more about BHP, click here.

The Conservancy of Montgomery County was formed in 1990 to provide individuals and governments with creative and flexible preservation techniques as well as to coordinate countywide efforts to save valued natural and built assets. They can be accessed by this link.

Unfortunately, there is nothing legally or financially that the Historical Society can do to assist local preservation efforts. Accessing the organizations listed above or dealing with individual townships who can work through zoning and open space preservation are the best ways to work toward preserving a local landmark. The Historical Society will be happy to discuss your project and morally support your efforts, so please feel free to keep us aware and up to date on your projects.

The Historical Society of Montgomery County will gladly accept donations from individuals and organizations which fit the following criteria:

1. The donation must consist of items, either paper or objects, that pertain to the history of Montgomery County or its people.
2. The donation must be your property and legally yours to give 100% to the Society.
3. The donation must be of suitable condition. (This means that the object is not damaged or deterioration is not too severe; not contaminated by mold or insects; not dangerous to the rest of the collection or to persons with the collection.)
4. The donation is not considered a redundancy to items already within the collection.
5. The donation is within the realm of the Society’s ability to care for it.

The staff and board of trustees maintain the right to deny whole or portions of a donation and to deaccession items at any time.

The Historical Society of Montgomery County cannot make appraisals. As a collecting institution with non-profit status, we would be placing ourselves in a conflict of interest. Therefore, it would not be seen as a valid appraisal by a non-interested party. If you are interested in knowing the value of something, please contact The Appraisal Foundation for more information or to find an appraiser in your area.

Each object type may need specific types of attention. However, as a general rule of thumb, you should consider several things as you care for your heirlooms and collections. Storage is of utmost concern. Your storage area should take into consideration cleanliness, temperature/humidity, light levels and security. Many companies sell special acid-free containers to house objects. Metal paper clips, pins, rubber bands, and staples should never be used on papers/documents.

There are many types of specific conservators for individual types of items. The best recommendation the Society can give it to contact The Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts is a world renowned treatment center located in Philadelphia, PA. Their website is linked here.