Fullerton: A Preserve America Community

Entering Fullerton city limits, there’s a sign that says Fullerton is a “Preserve America Community.” It turns out that the Preserve America Program, a federal initiative developed to highlight efforts to protect the nation’s heritage, designated the City of Fullerton a “Preserve America Community” in 2009. This is due to the efforts of members of Fullerton Heritage, a local non-profit organization that has been very active in the restoration, preservation and promotion of Fullerton’s rich collection of cultural and architectural resources. A committee of Fullerton Heritage members spent hours working on historical research, coordinating with city staff, soliciting letters of recommendation from city, county, and state officials, and filling out numerous forms in order for Fullerton to gain recognition as a “Preserve America Community.”

Debora Richey, a member of Fullerton Heritage, remembers filling out the application for Fullerton’s Preserve America designation and leaving a copy in the Local History Room. “The program still exists, but at the time, it was getting a big push from Laura Bush,” she said. “It is a wonderful way to recognize preservation-oriented communities. Fullerton Heritage has been able to use the designation a number of times when dealing with government officials and agencies. I do not, however, think that it is widely known in the city that we are a Preserve America City.”

Видео Fullerton: A Preserve America Community канала Emerson Little