
![]() The council is developing a program that will fund half the cost of preparing architectural illustrations showing how a building would look if it were restored. One pilot project is Camden’s 1870 Antioch Baptist Church, which consolidated local support for preservation. A building that did not appear to have a future now has a renovated exterior.(Thomas Kaufmann) The story of Alabama is to no small degree one about the interplay of three distinct cultures: indigenous, European American, and African American. Only in recent decades, however, has a broad-based concerted effort been made to identify and preserve places that reflect the diversity of the African American experience. The Black Heritage Council of the Alabama Historical Commission is playing a critical role in this effort.
How many of you drive past vacant and deteriorating historic buildings in your downtown or neighborhood? Those of us who love historic buildings believe there are far too many of them out there that need attention, resources, and a new life. During our country’s bicentennial, our national leaders felt the same way and were concerned about the loss of America’s heritage when they saw a decline in our downtowns and older neighborhoods. At the time it seemed that people had abandoned their town centers for shiny, new suburbs and shopping centers. As a result, Congress created tax incentives in 1976 to encourage private investment in historic places.
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