The City of Columbia recently was awarded status as a Preserve America community. Mayor Steve Benjamin, along with City Council members and representatives from the Historic Columbia Foundation held a press conference on Wednesday, September 1, 2010 to discuss the impact of this distinct honor on our city and the importance of historic preservation.

The Preserve America designation includes White House recognition, increased community visibility through inclusion in national and regional press releases, and notification of the designation to state tourism offices and visitors’ bureaus in addition to opportunities for Preserve America grants. This federal award goes to those communities that

1. protect and celebrate their heritage,

2. use their historic assets for economic development and community revitalization, and

3. encourage people to experience and appreciate local historic resources through education and heritage tourism programs

Guided walking tours of the Robert Mills Historic District were led by representatives from the Historic Columbia Foundation. In addition, attendees were able to experience the Community History project through virtual tours and self–guided print brochures of Old Shandon, Arsenal Hill, and Lower Waverly.