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2024: Cruising the Commonwealth 

Get ready to cruise with us in summer 2024!

 

During the summer of 2017, PM launched Cruising the Commonwealth (CTC), a series of gatherings across the state where we heard directly from local partners, organizations, and individuals about issues, challenges, successes, and ideas for the future related to historic preservation. CTC 2.0 resurfaced in 2022, and we learned even more from cities and towns from Great Barrington to Brockton.

 

Now, PM is returning with CTC 3.0 this summer! We want to hear how we as a statewide organization can better serve our constituents: what programs would be helpful and what is needed to make preservation possible in our cities and towns. 

 

Topics that surfaced in 2017 and 2022 have formed our Preservation Priorities for further exploration and work by PM and our statewide preservation partners.

Cruising the Commonwealth
Preservation Priorities

1. Education: Expand and promote education, awareness,  and understanding of historic preservation.

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2. Building Connections & Partnerships: Staying connected, networked, and growing our community relationships.

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3. Improved Access: to (more) resources and information.

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4. Reactive vs. Proactive: How can we be more effective as a movement?

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View the detailed priorities here.

Cruising the Commonwealth 2.0

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Much has happened since Preservation Massachusetts went “Cruising the Commonwealth” in 2017 not the least of which was a global pandemic. The way we live, work and interact with our communities changed, and some of that change is not going away.  The past two years especially brought difficult yet necessary conversations to our doorstep and the call for intentional and meaningful action is here. 

 

Cruising the Commonwealth 2.0 is a four-month “roundtable” that builds upon our original findings from five years ago and a statewide summit in 2018.  Through a series of in person and virtual gatherings and an online survey, we want to hear directly from individuals, organizations, businesses and others about needs, challenges and concerns and ideas related to preservation in your community and across the state. What is important to you, especially now? What has changed and more importantly, what needs to change to move preservation forward to the benefit of Commonwealth communities and residents.

 

Cruising the Commonwealth 2.0 is an opportunity for us to hear from our partners but also from groups and organizations that we have not connected with in the past.  What can we do as a statewide organization to be a better leader, advocate and supporter for preservation across Massachusetts?

 

The goal of CTC 2.0 is to find out how “preservation” is faring across the state in the following areas: Visibility, Inclusivity, Advocacy “Health”, Funding & Resources, Collaborative Opportunities, and to identify key priorities that can serve:  

            PM as a statewide organization leading into strategic planning

            Stepping stones for future discussions with local/regional/state partners

            Opportunities and ways for local groups/individual advocates to implement action

 

As with the first Cruising the Commonwealth, this is will be a living initiative that can be changed and adapted as we have more conversations with more people and organizations over the next several months. We really look forward to hearing from you and helping us plan our path forward.

Cruising the Commonwealth Archive

2017 Meeting Notes

Each meeting had different tenors, attendees, and findings. While there were a lot of similarities across concepts and ideas, there were also regionally specific discussions, ideas, and models. The notes from each of our meetings are included below.

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Preservation Summit

The goal of Cruising the Commonwealth was to not have a finished end result. This was not a report to be bound and placed on a shelf. Rather, we sought to begin a larger conversation about preservation in Massachusetts. 

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The priorities listed are the overarching issues we heard statewide, but each region, from the Cape to the Berkshires, is incredibly unique. What we learned during each meeting will help us tremendously with our work across the Commonwealth. 

 

A Preservation Summit was held in October 2018 in Worcester. It involved stakeholders from the preservation, landscape, history, consulting, design, architecture, advocacy and regulatory areas. The day was full of stimulating and thought-provoking discussion. The group contributed lots of suggestions of how to move toward two main goals. In 2019, we convened again at the statewide preservation conference, presented the progress on our goals, and continued the ongoing conversations with attendees. 

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We look forward to continuing the conversation and incorporating this listening tour activity into future planning for PM.

Thank you to our Preservation Partners!

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