Preserving the Area's Architectural & Historical Heritage

The Landmarks Commission promotes community image and pride by focusing on the area’s architectural and historical heritage. The commission urges Brown County citizens to be alert to their architectural heritage and its value in developing a sense of place and pride in their city and county. As we proceed into the 21st century, pragmatic needs and visionary insights combine with nostalgic views of our historic identity. Confronted by a growing and changing society, the city and county both witness an architectural blend of the new and the old, which contributes to the uniqueness of our towns and countryside, bolsters self-image, and promotes a progressive image while retaining traditional values and heritage.

Survival Through Alternative Means

In Aberdeen and Brown County some historic buildings have been lost due to fire, neglect, loss of functional usefulness, and consequent demolition. However, many have survived through alternative uses enhancing their economic and social value. Many more can be saved if properly maintained. It is our purpose to increases awareness of our historic buildings and the need to preserve and protect them as identity markers of city and county historical uniqueness. We hope to stimulate the imagination about how people used landscapes, streetscapes, and buildings, and how they may protect them and profit from them in the future.

Appreciating Our Heritage

Preservation is dependent upon attitude toward heritage. Heritage resources surround us but are often bypassed without consciously thinking about them. In haste on the way to varied destinations, some take buildings and landscapes for granted or develop an indifferent attitude. Others are more appreciative of architecture, landscapes, and the human lives associated with their use.

Promoting a Sense of Place, Feeling & Identity

Landscapes and buildings may be perceived as historical documents. Rural and urban parklands, urban streetscapes, and their adjacent buildings promote a sense of place, feeling, and identity with the community and its people. These areas suggest timelessness and conjure up feelings about the forefathers who walked these park grounds and city streets and who lived and worked within the walls of now historic buildings.