Tyler was honored recently when the First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS) designated it as one of the nation’s newest Preserve America Communities.

“President Obama and I want to congratulate all of the Preserve America Communities and thank them for their commitment to protecting and strengthening America’s cultural and natural heritage,” said Mrs. Obama.

Martin Heines, City of Tyler Mayor, received a letter on July 19, 2016 and will receive a certificate of designation signed by the FLOTUS announcing that Tyler is now a Preserve America Community. Communities designated through the program receive national recognition for their accomplishments in preserving special places and telling the nation’s story.

Benefits include use of the Preserve America logo on educational and promotional materials, a community sign, listing in a web-based directory that showcases Tyler preservation efforts and heritage tourism destinations, and other support. Many Preserve America Communities are featured in “Discover Our Shared Heritage” National Register Travel Itineraries, as well as in the “Teaching with Historic Places” curricular materials created by the National Park Service.

The Preserve America program became an authorized part of the national historic preservation program when the President signed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 on March 30, 2009. With this group of designations, 904 Preserve America Communities have been designated in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and two U.S. territories, including historic neighborhoods within large cities and tribal communities.

The Preserve America program is a federal effort to encourage and support community efforts to preserve and enjoy America’s priceless cultural and natural heritage. The goals of the initiative include a greater shared knowledge about the nation’s past, strengthened regional identities and local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country’s cultural and natural heritage assets, and support for the economic vitality of our communities.

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation administers the Preserve America program with the Department of the Interior, in cooperation with the White House and other federal agencies. For more information, visit www.achp.gov and www.preserveamerica.gov.

The NHPA was signed by Lyndon B. Johnson into law on Oct. 15, 1966. Enacted after the destruction of numerous buildings and sites in the years following World War II, the NHPA encourages Americans to identify and preserve our nation’s cultural and historic resources. The law establishes a national preservation program and procedural protections

October has been designated as National Community Planning Month by the American Planning Association (APA) as a way to highlight the role of planners and planning in each community. This year’s theme is “Civic Engagement,” and acknowledges that thoughtful local planning cannot happen without meaningful community engagement. The month-long celebration is an opportunity to recognize how planning shapes Tyler and the work of planners and the planning profession in creating communities of lasting value.

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