Save America's Treasures

June 20, 2002

Laura Bush and National Trust President
Advocate Historic Preservation on Visit to Orchard House for Save America's Treasures

CONCORD, Massachusetts --Richard Moe, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Co-Chair of Save America's Treasures joined today with Mrs. Laura Bush, Honorary Chair of Save America's Treasures, to highlight the urgent preservation needs of Orchard House, home of Louisa May Alcott. The Save America's Treasures site is seriously threatened by structural deterioration caused by accelerated wear, lack of a foundation, insect and water damage.

First Lady Laura Bush and National Trust President Richard Moe watch Orchard House Executive Director Jan Turnquist in a surprise appearance as Louisa May Alcott on June 20, 2002. Orchard House is an Official Project of Save America's Treasures. Laura Bush leads the program as its Honorary Chair. (AP photo/ Winslow Townson)

"Save America's Treasures at the National Trust for Historic Preservation is honored to have Laura Bush as a partner in this important effort to save America's heritage," said Richard Moe. "Our heritage is at risk, and it's up to us to save it. The tangible evidence of our past - history that you can see up-close and touch and learn from - is a non-renewable resource; if treasures like the Orchard House disappear, they're gone forever. It all comes down to this: If we do nothing, our past won't have a future. But if we act wisely and decisively now, we can ensure that Orchard House and other treasures that tell America's story will last through the ages."

A historic landmark, Orchard House was home of the Alcott family and where Louisa May Alcott penned the beloved classic, Little Women, in 1868.The former home of a Concord Minute Man, Orchard House was destined for certain destruction in 1857 when the Alcott family purchased the property. The original integrity of this 300-year-old home was maintained by Louisa's father, A. Bronson Alcott, an early preservationist, transcendental philosopher, and teacher. A popular gathering place for close family friends Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Nathaniel Hawthorne, Orchard House also witnessed the development of the only truly American philosophy, Transcendentalism.

In an effort to preserve the property and the Alcotts' collection of family papers, books, artwork, and photographs, a federal $400,000 Save America's Treasures challenge grant was awarded in 2000. Structural decay and abnormalities threaten the future of Orchard House. Substantial private contributions are urgently needed to complete the match so that Orchard House can completely fulfill its mission of historic preservation and public education. One of the oldest historic house museums in the country, its audience is drawn from all 50 states and 29 countries. Annually, over 50,000 people benefit from guided tours, educational programs, special events, and outreach. For more information on Orchard House, please visit www.louisamayalcott.org.

Save America's Treasures, a public-private partnership between the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Park Service, was established in 1998. to protect America's threatened cultural resources, including historic structures, art, maps, and journals that document and illuminate our history and culture. Laura Bush serves as the program's Honorary Chair along with Co-Chairs Richard Moe, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Susan Eisenhower, noted author and granddaughter of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to protecting the irreplaceable. Recipient of the National Humanities Medal, the Trust provides leadership, education and advocacy to save America's diverse historic places and revitalize communities. Its Washington, DC headquarters staff, six regional offices and 21 historic sites work with the Trust's quarter-million members and thousands of local community groups in all 50 states. For more information, visit the National Trust's web site at www.nationaltrust.org.

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