Be a Preservation 'Pardner' This Summer: Help Restore an Old West Town

Volunteers will be taking to the hills this summer to work alongside preservation specialist Jeff McDonald to unravel some of the mysteries contained in the buildings of Virginia City, Montana, an 1860s gold mining town.

Virginia City, MT (PRWEB) May 17, 2007 -- Though May has been designated National Preservation Month, preservation is a year-round activity in Virginia City, Montana, and a lot of it happens because of volunteers. This summer, volunteers will be spending part of their vacation working alongside preservation specialist Jeff McDonald to unravel some of the mysteries contained in buildings such as the circa 1864 Goldberg-McGovern Store and the 1864 Solomon Content Building. Work will take place during the week of July 9-13, 2007.

The volunteers' efforts will produce critical information about the buildings and their construction that can be used in formulating long-term preservation and conservation strategies for the buildings. The buildings are all part of the Virginia City Historic District, a National Historic Landmark. The hands-on building conservation workshop is being organized jointly by Heritage Conservation Network and the Virginia City Institute for Preservation Research and Technology. Work this year will focus on historic interior and exterior finish materials. Participation is open to anyone interested in helping preserve the nearly intact 19th century gold rush boom town.

Up to 16 volunteers can be accommodated at the site. Pre-registration is required; a workshop fee of $425 covers the cost of materials, instruction and insurance. The fee does not include lodging or transportation to the site. There are a number of options for accommodation, including B&Bs in historic buildings and camping in nearby campgrounds. Complete workshop details and online registration are available from HCN's website: http://www.heritageconservation.net.

This year's work follows a 2006 project at the H.S. Gilbert House, where volunteers documented conditions at the circa 1863 brewmaster's house.

Virginia City is owned by the State of Montana and managed by the Montana Heritage Commission, which is working to promote and preserve the site. Heritage Conservation Network, headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, specializes in recruiting volunteer preservationists who spend a week or more at a workshop site. Volunteers contribute to the survival of the historic buildings and gain knowledge and hands-on experience related to preservation; they also enjoy an immensely gratifying volunteer vacation experience. For more information about volunteering at this or any of their other workshops, contact Heritage Conservation Network at +1-303-444-0128 or see their website.

The Virginia City area is an excellent vacation destination; its proximity to Yellowstone National Park makes it possible to combine breathtaking scenery with intriguing history found not only in Virginia City, but also Nevada City and Bannack.

About HCN

Heritage Conservation Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of architectural heritage around the world. HCN produces an annual series of hands-on building conservation workshops in association with local preservation partners in order to further the sites' preservation and provide an educational experience for participants.

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