Pittsfield Township receives Certified Local Government status to support historic preservation activities

LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) announced today that Pittsfield Township of Washtenaw County has been accepted to the Certified Local Government (CLG) program, following confirmation from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

"We are pleased to welcome Pittsfield Township as Michigan's 43rd CLG community," said State Historic Preservation Officer Ryan Schumaker. "We look forward to working with them to identify and preserve those buildings, structures, and sites that are important to Pittsfield Township's unique history."

The CLG program is a partnership among local, state, and national governments focused on promoting historic preservation at the local level. The National Park Service administers the program in coordination with the SHPO. Certification makes the Pittsfield Township eligible for SHPO specialized technical assistance and programming.

Participation in the CLG program also makes the community eligible for federal grants provided by the U.S. Department of the Interior and administered by the SHPO. These grants may be used for a variety of preservation activities, such as historic resource surveys, National Register of Historic Places nominations, educational and heritage tourism initiatives, pre-development plans and studies, and rehabilitation of certain historic properties.

"Pittsfield Charter Township is thrilled to be part of the Certified Local Government program and looks forward to furthering our commitment to historic preservation and education in partnership with CLG staff. The program presents a unique opportunity for Pittsfield to synergize its efforts to both preserve and increase accessibility to the Township's history, and we are eager to begin working towards those goals with CLG support," said Bryce Allmacher, Deputy Supervisor and Community Information Manager.

While Pittsfield Township has long recognized the importance of its heritage to the future of the community, the Township formalized its historic preservation activities in 2010 with the establishment of the Sutherland-Wilson Farmstead, which is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Additionally, the Township includes two more locally designated historic districts, Byrd Center Historic District and Harwood Heritage Farm Historic District.

Pittsfield Township joins a growing network of more than 2,000 CLGs across the country, including 42 other Michigan communities. There is no cost to participate in the program, but communities must meet certain requirements. Participating communities must have a local historic district ordinance and appoint a historic district commission to review proposed work in locally designated historic districts. CLGs must also encourage public participation in the local historic preservation program and seek ways to identify, protect, and celebrate important historic resources in their community.

About the State Historic Preservation Office
Focused on the historic preservation of culturally or archaeologically significant sites throughout the state, Michigan's State Historic Preservation Office's main function is to provide technical assistance to local communities and property owners in their efforts to identify, evaluate, designate, interpret and protect Michigan's historic above- and below-ground resources. SHPO also administers an incentives program that includes state and federal tax credits and pass-through grants available to Certified Local Governments.

To learn more about the State Historic Preservation Office and the Certified Local Government program, visit https://www.miplace.org/historic-preservation/.

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