Richard “Dick” Moe, president emeritus of the National Trust for Historic Preservation from 1993-2010, passed away on September 15, 2025 at the age of 88.

As the 7th president of the National Trust, he proved time and again his unwavering commitment to the potential of historic preservation to build connections and community across the United States, bringing his strategic skills to build a stronger, more sustainable National Trust, as well as a broader, more dynamic preservation movement.

Moe’s accomplishments were many.

He recognized the importance of strengthening preservation at the local level, helping to build capacity for statewide and local preservation organizations across the country.

He advocated for small towns and downtowns looking to combat sprawl, and less than a year into his tenure he led a coalition who went up against Disney in order to preserve and conserve Manassas National Battlefield.

And in 2005, he was one of the first to visit New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, committing the organization to working in partnership with local organizations and communities as part of the rebuilding efforts.

Nearing the end of his tenure, Moe helped create Preservation Green Lab, which laid the groundwork for the National Trust’s work on sustainability and tackling climate change.

Moe also emphasized the importance of preservation in telling the full American story. In the Fall of 2009, he wrote, “A major reason for this country’s greatness, I believe, is its success in the unprecedented experiment of making a nation of immigrants, building a society that attempts to make unity out of variety. Preservation offers us a means of celebrating that variety”

Perhaps his biggest achievement was leading the National Trust away from Federal operating support, so that by decade’s end it took no taxpayer funding at all. That decision, orchestrated by Moe, led to a fundraising and membership program that ensured the National Trust’s viability long into the future.

In 2013, the National Trust for Historic Preservation recognized Moe’s efforts with the Louise duPont Crowninshield Award, National Trust for Historic Preservation’s highest national recognition. In his acceptance speech he outlined the four “R’s of Preservation:” Restoration, Revitalization, Relevance, and Risk, he wrote “Almost nothing of importance happens in preservation without some degree of risk…the day we become risk averse is the day we cease being effective preservationists.”

The National Trust is grateful for Richard Moe’s leadership and lifetime of service to the field of preservation.

For more about Richard Moe’s accomplishments read his obituary in the New York Times.