Save America's Treasures

December 4, 2001

Laura Bush to Chair Save America's Treasures

Preservation Organization Dedicated to Protecting America's National Symbols Gains Leader

WASHINGTON, D.C.--- The National Trust for Historic Preservation today announced that Laura Bush will serve as Honorary Chair of Save America's Treasures, the bipartisan, public-private partnership between the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Park Service. Dedicated to the protection and preservation of America's historic and cultural heritage, Save America's Treasures was founded in May 1998 by then-First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton to mark the new millennium. The program raises public awareness and new resources to meet America's unmet preservation needs.

Richard Moe, President of the National Trust and Co-Chair of Save America's Treasures, applauded the First Lady's commitment, "Save America's Treasures is an important effort to protect the historic places, collections, works of art and documents that tell America's story."

Since 1998, Save America's Treasures at the National Trust has designated over 800 official projects, visited 50 sites, and raised almost $52 million in private funds to conserve such historic places as Colorado's ancient cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde, and the African Meeting House in Boston. Among the icons of history that have received support from the Trust's Save America's Treasures program are the Star-Spangled Banner, the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War buildings at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, the personal papers of the Founding Fathers, and Ellis Island. This support complements a total of $110 million in federal SAT matching grants. The grants are administered by the National Park Service.

THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to protecting the irreplaceable. With more than a quarter million members nationwide, it provides leadership, education and advocacy to save America's diverse historic places and revitalize communities. It has six regional offices and 20 historic sites and works with thousands of local community groups in all 50 states. For more information, visit the National Trust's Web site at www.nthp.org.

For media inquiries on Save America's Treasures, or to request an interview with a spokesperson, you may call the Save America's Treasures communications representative at 202-588-6218, or toll free at 1-877-TREASURE (877-873-2787), or you may write to saveamericastreasures@nthp.org.

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