• Friends of the Tanner House Acquire Historic Home of Artist Henry Ossawa Tanner

    September 10, 2026

    In August 2026, the nonprofit preservation group Friends of the Tanner House acquired the Henry Ossawa Tanner House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Located in the city's Strawberry Mansion neighborhood, the Tanner House was the former home of Henry Ossawa Tanner, a 19th-century Black painter whose work received international acclaim. The house, a National Historic Landmark, was owned by the Tanner family from 1872 until 1950.

    In 2022, Friends of the Tanner House launched a fundraising campaign to save the historic rowhouse, which was at risk of demolition. In 2023, the National Trust included the Tanner House on its list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. That same year, the Tanner House received a $100,000 grant from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund to fund emergency repairs and stabilize the site. In summer 2023, the grant enabled the installation of shoring posts and walls, replacement of framing and sheathing, removal of deteriorated roof areas, and installation of a temporary roof covering. The Tanner House was successfully stabilized.

    "As our nation commemorates its 250th anniversary, it is critical that legacies like Henry Ossawa Tanner's are preserved for future generations," said Brent Leggs, president and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in the press statement released by Friends of the Tanner House and the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. "The Tanner family's story is an inspiration for all Americans about the power of perseverance, self-determination, and artistic vision to shape a cultural renaissance not just in this country, but around the world."

    The acquisition stands as a significant preservation milestone, enabling Friends of the Tanner House to continue preserving the historic home and sharing the Tanner family's story with future generations.

    Henry O. Tanner House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Built in 1871, this rowhouse in Philadelphia’s Strawberry Mansion neighborhood was the home of African American painter Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859-1937), along with many other Tanner family members with significant achievements.

    photo by: Justin Spivey/WJE Associates

    The Tanner House, once home to artist Henry Ossawa Tanner, stands in Philadelphia’s Strawberry Mansion neighborhood.

  • VIDEO: America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2026

    May 20, 2026

    America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2026

    The places featured on the 2026 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places span the country, from rural areas to densely populated city centers. Each of these places has different challenges and needs, but they are all united in how they illuminate stories of remarkable individuals who fought to bring our country closer to its founding aspirations of equality. These historic places, and the inspiring stories they preserve, are necessary so that America may learn from its past in the hopes of building a more perfect union.

    Learn more about the places on this year’s list, and find out what you can do to help preserve and activate them.

  • Mystery Castle Finds New Owner in Harrell Family of Companies

    April 10, 2026

    Constructed in 1934-1935 by Boyce Luther Gully for his daughter Mary Lou, Mystery Castle is a mix of organic architecture and folk art, inspired by local materials in the Sonoran Desert and Indigenous cultures of the American Southwest and Mexico. From 1945 onward Mary Lou and her mother dedicated their lives to the site making the site a nationally known tourist attraction.

    After Mary Lou’s death in 2010, vandalism and multiple break-ins caused extensive damage, and Mystery Castle was in danger of demolition. Concerns over the site’s future led to its inclusion on the National Trust’s list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places 2025.

    The interior of Mystery Castle was crafted out of local materials and salvaged objects. Stones held together with mortar form built-in shelving under a wood ceiling.

    photo by: Bob Graham

    Interior of Mystery Castle.

    Since its endangered designation, progress to save the site has been steady. In September 2025, the all-volunteer Friends of Mystery Castle became a task force of Preserve Phoenix, a 501(c)3, opening funding opportunities to hire a consultant to develop a strategic plan for the future of the site.

    In April 2026—the culmination of a 9-month process that involved extensive partnership and engagement with the community to identify the options for the future of site—Friends of Mystery Castle/Preserve Phoenix announced that the Harrell Family of Companies (HFC) purchased the Mystery Castle from the Mystery Castle Historical Foundation. HFC is committed to preserving Mystery Castle while creating a destination for events in the Phoenix area.

    As part of the continuing community engagement process, Erick Harrell of HFC will present his plans to preserve Mystery Castle and the company’s future development plans at a community forum on May 2, 2026 from 2-4pm at the South Mountain Community Library.

  • Yates Memorial Hospital Purchased by Historic Ketchikan, Inc.

    February 19, 2026

    Built in 1905 as a clergy house for the Episcopal Mission, Yates Memorial Hospital was re-purposed in 1909 as a 12-bed hospital during the boom years of Ketchikan’s growth. Under very difficult conditions, many dedicated and determined women worked tirelessly as nurses, to care for the sick and injured there.

    After being vacant for 15 years, the National Trust listed it as one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2020, bringing national attention to its uncertain future,

    This past January however the preservation of this structure took a great leap forward when Historic Ketchikan, Inc completed its purchase of the building, opening the way for the nonprofit to begin restoration efforts. With some initial grants in hand, HKI is seeking the public’s support to keep the momentum going. The hope is for it to contribute to the broader revitalization efforts in Ketchikan.

  • Damage to Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Greater Than Expected

    February 17, 2026

    Opened in 1874, the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse used to be one of several “middle-of-the-river” lighthouses on the Hudson River. Now it’s one of only two left standing. The lighthouse was built to guide vessels around a shallow area in the river near Athens and Hudson, New York, and continues to serve as a navigation aid today, helping commercial and leisure mariners safely navigate this portion of the Hudson River. In 2024, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named the lighthouse to its annual list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places due to erosion and damage to pilings that support the lighthouse, as well as other preservation challenges.

    Despite some significant progress, the site had a setback in April 30, 2025 when a barge hit the lighthouse, destroying its dock and stairway. In November 2025 a report commissioned by the lighthouse owners the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society, and completed by Proper & O’Leary Engineering, documented further damage to the base of the lighthouse, noting that the impact “pushed in some of the base’s stones and rotated others,” further compromising the foundation The cost of repairs is estimated between $1.9-3.6 million.

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Now accepting nominations for the 2027 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places! Nominations are due October 1, 2026.

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