Look around you for what makes your community special. Our historic villages and downtowns, our landmark churches, schools and barns, provide a link to the past and places to gather for friends and newcomers. Historic places also contribute to our state's economic vitality; they draw businesses and visitors to our state.

Celebrate National Preservation Month in May; choose some of these simple ways to support historic preservation goals of building vibrant downtowns and protecting rural character. 

Share Special Places - Look at the place where you live (your street, road or neighborhood) and note how many historic buildings and structures you can see.
Show your kids the building where you went to school, or where you got married. Tell them stories about New Hampshire places.
Talk to neighbors and "old timers" about their memories of the area.
Visit a historic site. Check www.visitnh.gov for listings.
Contact the Preservation Alliance for a list of walking tours in the state.
Conduct a barn survey of your barn or one on a friend's property-or your whole town.

Let Your Money Talk - Attend a life performance or a movie in a historic theater. Enjoy dinner in an old inn or tavern. Contribute to a local preservation project to save a building, protect archives or promote local history. Take care of your own old house or barn.

Get Involved - Talk to your legislators about the benefits of the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program, New Hampshire's matching grants program for land conservation and historic preservation projects. Volunteer to serve your community on the planning commission, library board, cemetery commission, downtown organization or regional planning commission. E-mail the Preservation Alliance and let us know you want to be kept current on preservation news. Join the Preservation Alliance's New Hampshire old house and barn network. Assist with a local preservation effort. (For ideas or contacts, contact the Preservation Alliance or visit www.lchip.org for possible projects.)

Ultimately, historic preservation enriches each of our lives by preserving the unique character of the Granite State and connecting us to it.

The Preservation Alliance's partner, National Trust for Historic Preservation, is promoting its 4th annual Preservation Month this year. More at www.PreservationNation.org.