Across Wisconsin, historic preservation doesn’t happen in the abstract. Preservation happens in community meetings, in project reviews, and in conversations about the future of buildings that matter.
Historic preservation commissions, Main Street programs, local historical societies, and community organizations are doing this work every day. Often it’s done with limited resources, but with a strong commitment to the places that define their communities.
At the Wisconsin Trust for Historic Preservation, we see that work—and we rely on it.
Amplifying Local Voices
We also hear, consistently, that those doing this work locally are navigating increasingly complex challenges. Projects involving historic buildings require balancing preservation goals with economic realities, understanding technical requirements, and making decisions that affect the long-term viability of a place.
At the same time, the most valuable insight about what’s working and what isn’t comes from those on the ground.
That’s why we’re launching the Local Preservation Network.
Launching the Local Preservation Network
This new membership is designed to better support and connect the individuals doing preservation work through local organizations across the state. It’s built around a simple idea: that stronger connections, better access to information, and shared experience can lead to better outcomes for historic buildings and the communities they serve.
Through the Local Preservation Network, organizations can enroll multiple individuals—staff, commissioners, board members, or volunteers—and gain access to practical guidance, relevant expertise, and timely information about policy, funding opportunities, and tools that can support their work. Members will also gain insight from preservation efforts happening in other communities and have a voice in shaping statewide priorities.
Just as importantly, the relationship goes both ways.
Connecting Solutions Statewide
The challenges local leaders face and the opportunities they see help shape the Wisconsin Trust’s priorities and how we respond—through programming, services, education, and engagement with policymakers and partners. That connection ensures that preservation efforts at the state level are grounded in real-world experience.
Strong preservation outcomes depend on more than passion. They require understanding how projects work, how buildings can be brought back into productive use, and how preservation can support broader goals like downtown revitalization and community development.
By strengthening local capacity and connecting experience across communities, we can help ensure that historic buildings remain both preserved and viable.
Join the Network
The Local Preservation Network is open to historic preservation commissions, historical societies, Main Street and downtown organizations, local preservation nonprofits, and other community-based groups working in this space.
Membership is $75 annually, prorated to $50 for 2026.
If you’re doing this work in your community, we hope you’ll join us.