Heritage Foundation to Host “New Preservations Directions” Talk

Heritage Foundation

The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County will host a preservation symposium entitled New Preservation Directions, which will be presented with Renasant Bank at Williamson County Enrichment Center on Saturday, June 2.

“As we look ahead, the Heritage Foundation plans to provide more educational offering for both adults and children across Williamson County on the topic of historic preservation,” says Heritage Foundation CEO Bari Beasley. “The New Preservation Directions symposium, sponsored by Renasant Bank, brings together three nationally known speakers who will highlight new trends in historic preservation. With the rapid growth in our County, the topic is very timely.”

The symposium will feature keynote speaker Matthew Webster, director of the Grainger Department of Architectural Preservation and Research for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. In this role he oversees the preservation of 603 structures in the National Landmark Historic Area, the 15,000-piece architectural fragment collection, architectural research and historic interiors. Webster also sits on the board of Falmouth Heritage Renewal in Falmouth, Jamaica. Prior to Williamsburg, he served as Director of Preservation at Drayton Hall in Charleston, South Carolina. Additional speakers include Robert Leath, vice president of collections and research at Old Salem Museums and Gardens and chief curator at the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts, along with Chris Ohrstrom, co-founder of Adelphi Paperhangings, as well as a Trustee and Former Chairman of the World Monuments Fund.

Annabeth Hayes, director of preservation added, “We’re very excited to welcome Mr. Webster, Mr. Leath and Mr. Ohrstrom to Franklin. Individually, they all offer unique perspectives to historic preservation and telling communities’ stories, but together their shared experiences will be a one-of-a kind experience for individuals interested in the impact of historic preservation.”

Tickets to the symposium are $50 per person, which includes lunch provided by Merridee’s Breadbasket. Heritage Foundation members will be offered a 10% discount, and students can purchase tickets for $25 by contacting the Heritage Foundation with their school email.

The symposium will take place from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Williamson County Enrichment Center, which is located at 110 Everbright Ave. in Franklin. The symposium is sponsored by Renasant Bank, which will be opening its newest branch in Downtown Franklin later this year.

For more information about the symposium and to purchase tickets, visit www.williamsonheritage.org or contact Annabeth Hayes, director of preservation at the Heritage Foundation at [email protected].

About the Heritage Foundation

Since 1967, the nonprofit group has been dedicated to protecting and preserving Williamson County’s architectural, geographic and cultural heritage of Williamson County and to promote the ongoing revitalization of downtown Franklin in the context of historic preservation. For more information on the Heritage Foundation, visit www.williamsonheritage.org.