Preservation Month Brings Albany History To Life

Historic preservation is about more than saving old buildings. It is about honoring the past, understanding the power of place, and carrying local stories into the future.

May is National Historic Preservation Month, a nationwide celebration of the places, people, and traditions that shape our communities. In Albany, preservation has special meaning. Our city is known for its historic homes, commercial buildings, churches, museums, and walkable historic districts. With more than 800 historic buildings and a wide range of architectural styles, Albany has earned a reputation as one of Oregon’s must-see destinations for historic architecture.

You can see that history throughout Albany’s four National Historic Districts. The Monteith, Hackleman, and Downtown Commercial Districts are filled with homes, storefronts, and public spaces that reflect the city’s growth from the mid-1800s through the 20th century. The Albany Municipal Airport District highlights another chapter of local history as the oldest airport in continuous service on its original site in western Oregon.

This May, Albany and nearby communities are celebrating preservation with guided tours, history talks, cultural events, hands-on demonstrations, vintage bicycles, and community gatherings. Each event offers a chance to learn, connect, and experience the many layers of our shared heritage.

These events invite you to step into Albany’s history, one street, building, and story at a time.

The Albany Tweed Ride brings vintage style to Albany’s historic streets. Riders are encouraged to dress in tweed or period-inspired clothing, join costume and best bike contests, and pedal through Albany’s National Historic Districts with stops that highlight historic buildings and local stories.

The Albany Streetcar History Tour offers a narrated ride through historic Albany. Bill Maddy will guide participants through the city’s past, sharing stories tied to streets, landmarks, neighborhoods, and the people who helped shape Albany.

The Pioneering Women Walking Tour shares the stories of influential women in Albany history, including Bessie Hale, the first Black woman business owner in Albany. This guided walk offers a closer look at the women whose work, leadership, and community presence helped shape the city.

The Linn County Courthouse Historic Tour gives visitors a chance to step inside one of Albany’s important public buildings. The tour will highlight the courthouse’s history, architecture, and the stories connected to civic life in Linn County.

The 1st and 2nd Avenue Walking Tours explore two of Downtown Albany’s most historic streets. Led by Oscar Hult of The Natty Dresser, these tours invite participants to look closely at downtown buildings, architectural details, and the stories behind familiar storefronts.

Preservation often starts with curiosity. These programs help visitors and residents learn how to research homes, understand local routes, and see the past through everyday objects, clothing, and records.

Who Lived in Your House? Using Genealogical Tools to Research Your Historic Home helps people uncover the history of a property. Participants will learn how to use property records, tax assessments, census data, historic photos, Sanborn maps, and online genealogy tools to learn more about the people who lived in a home before them.

The Santiam Wagon Road Library Talk explores one of Oregon’s early routes through the Cascade Range. Marcia Morse will share how the Santiam Wagon Road connected the Willamette Valley to Central Oregon and supported travel, trade, and settlement.

History Bites: If Walls Could Talk focuses on the stories hidden inside historic homes. Camron Settlemier will share methods and resources for researching the history of a house, making this a helpful program for homeowners, history lovers, and curious neighbors.

100 Years of Historic Fashion: 1849-1949 looks at fashion through the lens of Albany’s Historic Districts. Fashion historians Kay Demlow and Oscar Hult will use photos, period clothing, and reproduction pieces to show how style changed across a century of local life.

Objects of Albany offers a close-up look at local history through artifacts and historical treasures. Visitors can discover objects that are not always on public view and learn how everyday items can reveal stories about Albany’s past.

Preservation is also practical work. These events highlight the care, skill, and patience it takes to protect historic buildings for future use.

The Cumberland 134th Birthday Celebration and Open House invites visitors inside a beloved historic community building. Guests can tour the space, learn about its past, and see how volunteers are restoring it for future gatherings and events.

The Historic Window Demonstration shows how historic windows can be repaired and preserved instead of replaced. Vance McDermott of Tried and True Window will demonstrate restoration techniques and answer questions about caring for older windows.

The Vintage Windows Open House offers a behind-the-scenes look at historic window restoration tools and techniques. Visitors can stop by, ask questions, and learn why original windows are an important part of historic building character.

Historic Downtown Albany is one of the best places to experience preservation in action. These events bring people into the heart of the city to notice architectural details, enjoy local businesses, and see how historic places continue to serve the community.

Preservation includes buildings, but it also includes living culture, traditions, and community memory. The powwows included in this month’s event lineup honor Indigenous communities whose connection to this land began long before the historic buildings we see today.