The importance of Santa Clara County's historic resources
The tangible evidence of Santa Clara County's heritage remains all around us. Our historic resources offer a link to our past, an understanding of our cultural origins, landmarks by which to navigate, and a sense of place that distinguishes Santa Clara County from all other places. In the face of increasing homogenization, urbanization, and anonymity of American culture and place, our historic resources become even more significant. If preserved and integrated with the new; historic resources immeasurably enrich the experience of urban and rural landscapes. Rehabilitation and restoration for new uses, especially within older urban communities, can stimulate economies and heritage tourism, and reverse urban decline in ways "urban renewal" programs of the recent past often failed to do.
To promote public awareness of historic resources, the Historical Heritage Commission has prepared a slide presentation of projects that availed funding through the Historical Heritage Grant Program.
Upon request, a member of the Commission will be available to present the program to civic groups, historical societies, non-profit organizations and other community groups.
Santa Clara County's historic preservation program
Stewardship of Santa Clara County's historic resources, with their unique opportunities and challenges, is the focus of the Historic Preservation Program. The County has taken the opportunity to address the challenges by incorporating policies and strategies for historic resources into its General Plan. The plan recognizes the importance of historic resources and outlines a general approach to their treatment:
- Inventory and evaluation;
- Prevention or minimization of adverse impacts; and
- Restoration, enhancement and commemoration.
These three basic strategies serve as the foundation for Santa Clara County's Historic Preservation Program and the work of the Historical Heritage Commission.