Hampton's Save-A-Landmark Program Announces Sites to Be Preserved in 2011

Five 'All-American' Landmarks Chosen by Public Voting Will be Refurbished in 2011 by Hampton Hotel Volunteers

• 
  SAVE
• 
  SHARE
• 
  TEXT SIZE
• 
  PRINT
• 
  COMMENT
• 
  PDF

. December 07, 2010

December 6, 2010 - In celebration of International Volunteer Day December 5, Hampton Hotels announced the next five landmarks its hotel team members will help preserve in 2011. Over the course of the past five weeks, the general public cast more than 60,000 votes for their favorite roadside attractions in Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana and Rhode Island -- all in need of refurbishment and support.

"Having just celebrated the 10th anniversary of Save-A-Landmark in 2010, we are extremely excited to announce our next five landmark restoration projects for 2011,” said Judy Christa-Cathey, vice president of global brand marketing for Hampton Hotels. “In 2011, we will fulfill our goal to refurbish at least one landmark in each of our nation's 50 states, a true testament to the hard work and ongoing restoration commitment of our hotel team members and volunteers.”

October to November 2010, Hampton Hotels invited the public to log on to hamptonlandmarks.com to vote for landmarks in need of restoration located in five states. Each selected site reflects the unique personalities of the states and the significant milestones in our nation's decorated history.

The selected landmarks to be restored in 2011 include:

• John Dickinson Plantation, Dover, Del. - John Dickinson was one of the founding fathers of the United States, signer of the U.S. Constitution and nicknamed the “Penman of the Revolution.” The John Dickinson Plantation gives visitors a chance to step back into the 18th century home of its namesake. Guides in historic clothing conduct tours of “Home Place” and demonstrate activities to help visitors better understand lifestyles of the time period. •Kilauea Lighthouse, Kilauea, Hawaii - Built in 1913 on the northernmost island in Hawaii, the Kilauea Lighthouse served as a beacon of light to numerous ships that traveled to and from the Orient. Once a protector of the nautical traveler, the lighthouse stands as a symbol of old Hawaii and is considered one of the nation's most intact historic light stations, The Kilauea Lighthouse is one of the most visited attractions in Hawaii with more than 500,000 visitors each year.
• The Romance (Historic Westwood Theater), Rexburg, Idaho - Built in 1917, this historic theater made its debut as the Rex, showing silent films and hosting Vaudeville shows. Later remodeled in 1935, it re-opened as the Romance and began showing “talkies,” or movies with sound. Later named The Westwood, the theater opened and closed several times before being purchased in 2005 by the City of Rexburg.
• Children's Museum of Bozeman, Bozeman, Mont. - Dedicated to providing hands-on, sensory exhibits and programs that foster imagination, curiosity and promote self-confidence, the Children's Museum of Bozeman offers a wide variety of exhibits for children of all ages. The museum also features various other educational outlets, such as after school programs, summer camps and early childhood education, along with other special events offered year-round. •Westerly Armory, Westerly, R.I. - The Westerly Armory was the first armory to be recognized by the State Preservation Commission, and opened the doors for the 17 other armories in the state of Rhode Island to gain attention and receive grants. The Westerly Armory museum houses both local community and military memorabilia and is the site of the oldest active civic band in the nation. This landmark is on the National Register of Historic Places and is also a Save America's Treasures Site.

Volunteers from local Hampton hotels will take time out of their busy schedules caring for guests at their properties to make the preservation of such timeless landmarks possible. The announcement comes just in time for International Volunteer Day and the work that will be completed in 2011 is an excellent example of what the day is all about. Designated by the United Nations, International Volunteer Day aims to thank volunteers for their efforts and to raise public awareness around the contributions that volunteers provide to society year after year. During the past decade, the Save-A-Landmark program has preserved 55 historic sites in 45 states and three countries. The program has donated more than $2.5 million and more than 8,000 volunteer hours towards the research, attention and preservation of roadside landmarks. According to a Hampton preservation survey conducted in September 2010, more than 90 percent of Americans believe it is important to preserve our nation's landmarks and another 40 percent thought the nation's historical sites were in need of repair.

To learn more about the Save-A-Landmark program or to nominate a landmark for future restoration, please visit www.hamptonlandmarks.com.