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About Us
The vision of an Architectural Heritage Center is part of the rich legacy left by two remarkable men, Jerry Bosco and Ben Milligan.
Alarmed by the tragic destruction of historic buildings throughout Portland and the Northwest, Bosco and Milligan undertook the salvage of architectural pieces which would otherwise have been lost to the wrecking ball.
Over a twenty-five year period, they collected a truly awe-inspiring treasure trove of 40,000 sq.ft. of historic stained glass windows, building hardware, doors, light fixtures and shades, tiles, mantles, cast iron pieces, an extensive architectural library, and countless other historic building elements. The National Park Service documents that the Foundation's collections are the largest in the West and among the most extensive collections in the United States.
Our vision of renovating the historic West's Block to house the Architectural Heritage Center has come to completion. The Center includes two exhibition galleries, two classrooms, workshop space, a library, collections storage spaces and the Foundation's offices. With the opening of the Architectural Heritage Center, the public can now have ready access to the collections and can benefit from a greatly expanded number and scope of education programs. The Architectural Heritage Center brings a significant new educational facility to Portland that will play an important role in celebrating the architectural heritage of our city and region for many years to come.
MEETING A VITAL COMMUNITY NEED
The Portland area's rich diversity of vintage buildings defines the character of our community, and how it looks and feels both to long-time residents and newcomers alike. Our local history is irrevocably tied to these buildings, which stand as physical testaments to the hopes, dreams and talents of those who came before us. This is our architectural heritage - the built environment - which is vital to the fabric of our community identity.
Growth and development pressures, deterioration, and unsuitable alterations threaten what remains of our building heritage throughout the region. The problem is compounded by the scarcity of affordable, knowledgeable craftspeople, and resources to provide the necessary education and training to people who will then go on to practice quality building preservation and restoration.
At the Architectural Heritage Center, we provide people with these resources: teaching them about architectural traditions, styles, materials and building techniques, offering hands-on training in restoration, and ongoing outreach programs to the general public. We work to promote a greater understanding and appreciation of preserving our building heritage.
Our programs forge the link between people and places, between buildings of the past and the living communities of today. With the Architectural Heritage Center in operation, the physical facility and the resources within provide a unique and dynamic learning environment for people today and for generations to come.
We are not opposed to change, but great care must be taken to identify and preserve the vintage buildings that make up the character of our city and its neighborhoods. By respecting our past, we create a richer future. Each year, more and more of these buildings are lost, often unnecessarily. We must act now to save the best of our architectural heritage.
Because, once lost, they are gone forever.
| Board of Directors | Board of Advisors |
Rick Michaelson, President |
Pauline Bradford |
Staff |
In Memoriam |
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Cathy Galbraith, Executive Director |
A.P. (Benny) DiBenedetto, FAIA |