Celebrating 75 Years of the Power of Place

Celebrating 75 years of the Power of Place

On October 26, 1949, Congress chartered the National Trust for Historic Preservation, initiating what has become a 75-year journey of protecting America’s historic places. As we commemorate this milestone, we invite you to join us in celebrating the power of places and their profound impact on our lives.

Throughout the year, we’ll be highlighting the stories, achievements, and people that continue to shape the preservation movement, offering a glimpse into the past while exploring innovative new directions for the future. Together, let’s celebrate the places that unite us and ensure they continue to inspire for generations to come.

Celebrate with Us!

We've got a year of events across the country planned to celebrate this milestone. Make sure you are receiving our emails so we can share details about events happening near you as they become available. Sign up for emails.

Upcoming Events at National Trust Historic Sites

May 14 – Oct. 31, 2025

Modeling Women: Female Models and Artists at Chesterwood (Stockbridge, Massachusetts)

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Chesterwood, the newly restored residence of American Renaissance sculptor Daniel Chester French reopens after four-year renovation project, presenting Modeling Women: Female Models and Artists at Chesterwood in three newly renovated exhibition rooms. Modeling Women celebrates the important role of French’s female models, alongside the works of two female artists active at Chesterwood: Evelyn Beatrice Longman and Margaret French Cresson.

Modeling Women brings together over 25 sculptures and paintings—many never before exhibited—to explore themes of collaboration and mentorship. The exhibition highlights women who modeled for some of Daniel Chester French’s most celebrated monuments.

June 7, 2025

60 Years of Preservation: Celebrating Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House (Alexandria, Virginia)

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Join us for a celebration 60 years in the making! We’re throwing a party to commemorate the historic move of the Pope-Leighey House from Falls Church, Virginia, to its current home at Woodlawn—a move that saved this Frank Lloyd Wright-designed gem, thanks to the dedication of Marjorie Leighey and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Slip into your best 60s-inspired attire and get ready for a night of great food, retro cocktails, and live entertainment that will transport you back to the era of peace, love, and preservation! Visitors will also have the opportunity to view the new exhibit Saving Pope-Leighey House, which opens at Woodlawn on May 1.

June 29 – Sep. 13, 2025

2025 Culpeper Summer Performance Series (Pocantico, New York)

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The Culpeper Summer Performance Series brings the best of New York City arts and culture to Westchester. Hosted annually at The Pocantico Center, the series presents music, dance, and theater supported by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund Culpeper Arts & Culture program. One-night-only performances by dancers Omari Wiles and Marie Basse-Wiles, jazz legend Ken Peplowski, and actor/director Samora la Perdida take place at the David Rockefeller Creative Arts Center—housed in John D. Rockefeller’s 1908 orangerie—and a special three-performance engagement by Site-Specific Dances activates the landscapes around Kykuit, the historic home of the Rockefeller family.

July 17, 2025

Clementine Hunter and Louisiana Folk Art (Virtual)

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Shadows-on-the-Teche is partnering with the Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios (HAHS), a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, to continue its celebration of Louisiana art. Join us for Clementine Hunter and Louisiana Folk Art, a conversation with Tom Whitehead, leading expert on Clementine Hunter, and featuring Valerie Balint, Director of Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios.

The former home and workplace of self-taught artist Clementine Hunter, Melrose on the Cane (Natchitoches, LA) is a longtime member of Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios and was designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust in 2015. African House, a building on property, houses an epic mural cycle by Hunter and in 2015 and 2016, the National Trust’s HOPE Crew rehabilitated and restored this building to safely display these murals. This program advances dialogue about the artistic connections at Shadows-on-the-Teche related to the ongoing endeavors of resident, William Weeks Hall, a promising artist who created an artistic hub at the site. Funding for this program has been provided by the State of Louisiana and administered by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH).

This event is virtual and free to attend.

Garden House of Filoli a National Trust Historic Site in Woodside, California.

photo by: Filoli

Garden House of Filoli a National Trust Historic Site in Woodside, California.

Join Today!

We're celebrating 75 years of demonstrating how saving meaningful places can improve lives, motivate future generations, and strengthen communities. We hope we can count on you to build the future with us! Together we can create a better tomorrow.

“The purposes of the National Trust shall be to receive donations of sites, buildings, and objects significant in American history and culture, to preserve and administer them for public benefit.”

Congressional Charter of the National Trust for Historic Preservation