Blog of the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office
Shelby Weaver Splain is the Education and Special Initiatives Coordinator for the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office. Shelby is a native of Bucks County and holds a Masters degree in Historic Preservation Planning from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Historic Preservation from Goucher College.
May is Historic Preservation Month! PA SHPO traditionally kicks off the month by announcing the newest Community Initiative Award winners.
For 2024, the awardees are two organizations whose projects demonstrate the importance of embracing and preserving local history and the places that help tell their communities’ stories.
Preservation Pennsylvania’s statewide conference is back – in mini-form! – with Preservation Forward: A Statewide Heritage Gathering in Johnstown on June 1 & 2, 2025.
Are you interested in a career where you have the opportunity to work with a pro-active, dedicated team of preservationists, historians, and archaeologists? If so, consider joining the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), Preservation Support Division as the Pennsylvania Archaeological Site Survey (PASS) Coordinator.
This position allows you to utilize your experience as you oversee the Pennsylvania Archaeological Site Survey program (PASS). Our goal is to maintain the integrity of archaeological sites and survey information in the SHPO data management system (PA-SHARE) in order to assist the SHPO, other agencies, and the public in evaluating the archaeological resources within the Commonwealth.
Are you an archaeologist who would enjoy utilizing your experience to conduct a wide range of environmental review projects? If so, the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO) is eager to welcome a Historic Preservation Specialist with a discipline in archaeology to join the Environmental Review Division.
Earlier this month, PA SHPO staff made their annual trek to Washington, D.C. to meet with other SHPOs and preservationists from across the country as part of National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week.
Queue the Jeopardy! music…
If you answered “PA SHPO’s Annual Report,” you’re correct!
I’m happy to introduce you to some of my colleagues who joined the SHPO team over the last six months. I’ve asked each of them to answer a few questions to help us get to know them. Welcome to the team, Blair, Liz, Arden, and Lauren!
You’re probably wondering what this postcard has to do with PA SHPO and historic preservation, let alone New Year’s or 2025. I came across this gem while searching the PA State Archives digital collections for images that I could use for a New Year’s Day blog post.
Is it even the end of a year if you don’t see at least a dozen “year in review” lists?
Site visits to the Commonwealth’s many communities and historic places are routine for most SHPO staffers and one of the best parts of our jobs.
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