The National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP), the country’s largest private, nonprofit preservation organization, has named Durango, Colo., to its 2007 list of America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations

Durango named to America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations

National Trust for Historic Preservation taps Durango for 2007 honor

 

DURANGO, Colo. – The National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP), the country’s largest private, nonprofit preservation organization, has named Durango, Colo., to its 2007 list of America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations, an annual list of unique and “lovingly preserved” communities in the United States.

The announcement was made March 7, at 10 a.m., during a special celebration/press conference at the Strater Hotel’s Diamond Belle Saloon – one of the unique features that sets Durango apart in the eyes of the NTHP.

“This is truly a community award,” said Rod Barker, owner of the Strater Hotel, an honored member of the National Trust’s Historic Hotels of America. “Dozens and dozens of people have worked and continue to work tirelessly to sustain Durango and ensure that it remains a very special place. Congratulations Durango – you all earned this award.”

Durango was selected from 63 destinations in 27 states nominated by individuals, preservation organizations and local communities. For Durango, representatives from the Durango Business Improvement District/City of Durango – Barker, Bob Kunkel and Indiana Reed – assembled the application. The team received the news in late February, but was “embargoed” from sharing it with the town until the national announcement. The date and time of the release were specified by the NTHP.

“The National Trust for Historic Preservation has specific requirements for their announcements, and we didn’t want to do anything that might impact securing this honor for Durango,” said Bob Kunkel, the city’s Downtown business/promotions specialist and member of the BID marketing team. “Rod (Barker) has been involved with the National Trust for years, and when we reviewed what the organization was seeking for the Distinctive Designation title, we said, ‘This is Durango.’”

In addition to the scenic beauty, Durango was cited for its charming and vibrant Historic Downtown. This includes preservation of original Victorian structures, plus efforts by the BID, the City and others to implement programs that keep the Downtown picturesque and “alive.” Also applauded by the Trust were the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and the Ancestral Puebloan heritage in the region, as well as the abundant outdoor, recreational activities.

“More than 100 years ago, the lure of gold and silver attracted the earliest prospectors to Durango,” said Richard Moe, NTHP president. “Today, visitors come to this spectacular, unspoiled mountain town because Durango had the good sense to hang on to what makes it so special. The result is a vibrant community that offers travelers an ideal retreat.”

This is the eighth time the National Trust for Historic Preservation has announced a list of Dozen Distinctive Destinations. Ninety-six, located in 41 states throughout the country have been named. As the NTHP notes, in each community, residents have taken forceful action to protect their town’s character and sense of place. Whether by enacting a local preservation law to protect historic buildings against demolition, rewriting zoning codes to prevent commercial sprawl, removing regulatory barriers to downtown housing, making downtown areas more walkable, enacting design standards, or taking some other major step that demonstrates a strong commitment to their town, residents have worked hard to preserve the historic and scenic assets of their communities, with rewards that transcend town limits.

A private, nonprofit membership organization, the National Trust for Historic Preservation is a dedicated to protecting the irreplaceable. Recipient of the National Humanities Medal, the Trust was founded in 1949 and provides leadership, education, advocacy and resources to save America’s diverse historic places and revitalize communities. Its Washington DC headquarters staff, six regional offices and 28 historic sites work with the Trust’s 270,000 members and thousands of local community groups in all 50 states. 

The complete list of the 2007 destinations follows below. To review the list of past recipients, and learn more about the NTHP, visit www.nationaltrust.org.

 

 

 The 2007 America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations:

Charlottesville, Va. — In the shadow of the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains, Charlottesville, Va. Is a picture-perfect college town with vibrant shops, restaurants, wineries and a slew of presidential homes including Jefferson’s Monticello, Monore’s Ash Lawn-Highland and Madison’s Montpelier, a site owned and operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Chatham, Mass. — Beloved by fishermen and sea captains for centuries, the charming coastal town of Chatham, Mass., boasts exquisite natural beauty, a charming, architecturally rich walkable downtown and some of the best, unspoiled beaches on the East Coast.

Chestertown, Md. — An 18^th-century jewel on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Chestertown was once a thriving Revolutionary-era port and today boasts a treasure trove of perfectly preserved 18^th– and 19^th-century homes, specialty stores, sidewalk cafes and scenic boating, biking and hiking along the drop-dead gorgeous Chesapeake coast. 

Durango, Colo. — Nestled between red sandstone bluffs in the lush Animas River Valley, Durango, Colo., offers natural beauty and a colorful history that is today reflected in a charming Victorian downtown and some of the most spectacular and well-preserved Puebloan ruins in the United States. 

Ellensburg, Wash. — Located in the heart of the beautiful Kittitas Valley and in the center of Washington State, historic Ellensburg is a wonderfully restored Victorian town that’s home to Central Washington University, a delightful downtown historic district and some of the best fly fishing in the Northwest. 

Hillsborough, N.C. –A picturesque and charming Southern town that played an important role in both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, Hillsborough, N.C. boasts a lovely downtown historic district, an original, rare NASCAR speedway from the inaugural 1949 season and festivals for war re-enactors and barbeque lovers.

Little Rock, Ark. –With a presidential library, scores of well preserved historic buildings, an important Native American site, a WWII era submarine, the world’s longest pedestrian bridge and a site that forever changed race relations in this country, Little Rock, Ark. has it all.

Mineral Point, Wisc.  — A hidden gem nestled in the rolling hills of southwestern Wisconsin, Mineral Point — and its Cornish rock houses, Craftsman bungalows, simple log cabins and neoclassical confections — is an architectural treasure trove, which celebrates its mining heritage and the abundant beauty of its pastoral setting.

Morgantown, W. Va. — Nested along the Monongahela River in northern West Virginia, Morgantown, home to one of the nation’s top research centers, West Virginia University, and some of the most magnificent mountain scenery imaginable, is a step back in time with a beautifully restored frontier downtown and a river famed for rafting.

Providence, R.I. –The site of one of the nation’s 13 original colonies and the home of several prestigious colleges, Providence, R.I., has a colorful four-century history proudly and prominently displayed in cobblestone walkways, landmark structures, a Victorian-era park and a blazing riverfront festival that has revitalized this historic city.

West Hollywood, Calif. — In a sprawling metropolis nicknamed the City of Angels, West Hollywood, Calif., stands out as an urban oasis, a quirky yet sophisticated village, which boasts diverse historic architecture, people watching along glittering thoroughfares, designer boutiques, hip restaurants and unique tourist attractions such as “The Lot,” United Artists’ historic studio.

Woodstock, Ill. — Only 45 miles from Chicago, the small, warm Victorian village of Woodstock, Ill., which served as a stand in for Punxsutawney, Pa., in the 1992 movie Groundhog Day, has a unique and beguiling charm with a celebrated town square and downtown historic district, a nationally renowned Mozart festival and a Victorian Christmas — right out of Dickens.

 

 

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