Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County

ABOUT US
This year, the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County celebrates it 60th anniversary as an organization. It all began with our "sweet sixteen" founders. Through grassroots dedication, public awareness campaigns and sheer determination early members launched a hard fought, multi-year, grass roots effort during the height of urban renewal to save the house at 123 N. Prince Street (HPT's headquarters.) What tenacity and spirit! Today, the Sehner-Ellicott-von Hess House stands as a testament to the vision and hard work of those who refused to allow Lancaster's architectural history to be forgotten. It is not an overstatement to say your daily life in Lancaster County would look different without 
decades of advocacy and education by the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      PRESERVATION & YOU

In Where We Lived Jack Larkin writes, "Like people, houses are created, live, and grow old. Like us, they eventually disappear. Houses that survive to be studied, explored, and admired by distant generations should be regarded as emissaries from another time, as gateways into our past." 
Our very first mission statement used the phrase, "To preserve and maintain, in their early dignity and beauty, as nearly as may be feasible, historic sites, buildings and objects in Lancaster County ..." What an honor and privilege it is to help preserve dignity and beauty! We are the only county-wide, nonprofit organization dedicated solely to preserving architectural heritage, and we can't 
do it alone.

YOUR SUPPORT = OUR SUCCESS

Since our founding in 1966 to "stem the rapid destruction of historic properties in Lancaster County" the Trust has stayed true to this objective while expanding its reach and staying relevant. In an ever-changing world, isn't it good to know we are still here protecting, collaborating, educating and communicating the very real values of historic preservation? As Joni Mitchell once reminded us - "Don't it always seem to go / That you don't know what you got til it's gone / They paved paradise and put up a parking lot." Your financial contribution supports HPT's everyday efforts to preserve our own slice of paradise in Lancaster County.

Every donation of $70.00 or more to this year's ExtraGive provide membership for one year. Benefits include:

* Access to more than 15,000 surveys in HPT's archives
* Special membership price on events and programs, plus select merchandise
* Subscription to member-only newsletter
* Special access opportunities to Sehner-Ellicott von Hess House

2026 HIGHLIGHTS 
* 5th Annual Preservation Summit Keynote: Dr. Jeremy Wells
* America 250 Programming at Lancaster Public Library
* Remake Learning Days Site The Science of Traditional Trades
* Historic Plaque Program Welcomed 5 new sites
* Monthly Speaker Series The Preservation Palette
* Archive Digitization More than 5,000 records added by volunteers + interns
* Preservation Easement Historic Storefront in Ephrata Borough
* Historic Resource Surveys Strasburg Borough & Strasburg Twp.
* Municipality Assistance Review & respond to ordinance + zoning requests
* Walking Tour Guides Columbia Riverfest
* Bowmansville Roller Mill Public Opening
* Community Outreach Lititz History Day, LancasterHistory Block Party, White Chimneys Estate Living  History Day

For 60 years, the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County 
has been preserving what matters!