Historic Preservation
Photo Courtesy of Rich Yukubousky
“Once you come to live here - you have a responsibility to help preserve it.”
Preservation is good for the economy and contributes to tourism. Historic preservation utilizes more local resources and material, so money remains circulating in the local economy. The same historic buildings and landscapes which contribute to the quality of life for local citizens are also able to draw visitors interested in experiencing the natural and cultural history of the Reserve.
Preservation is fundamentally a sustainable practice. Adapting and reusing historic structures reduces our consumption of raw land, new materials, and other resources. Rehabilitating existing buildings for continued use and maintaining in-place building materials are standard preservation practices that are also good for the overall environment.
Why We Preserve
Why do we work so hard to preserve and protect this rural community? Our built environment plays a big part in telling the story of the Reserve’s long, rich and culturally diverse history. At it’s heart, preservation is about an understanding that historic structures are a vital but limited resource, so we must be mindful in managing their continued use.
Photo: The Joseph Libbey House, courtesy of the
Island County Historical Society
What We Preserve
From barns to Victorian homes, from pre-territorial through World War II, there are over 400 structures that are what’s referred to as “contributing” to the history and character of the Central Whidbey Island Historic District.
Buildings are listed by their historic names, often including who built the building, for instance the Alexander Blockhouse or the Crockett Barn.
Photo: Front Street, Coupeville.
Courtesy of the Island County Historical Society
How We Preserve
To find out more information on owning and preserving historic buildings within Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve or if your building is a contributing structure, there are resources to help you~
Photo of the Captain Whidbey Inn courtesy of
Rich Yukubousky
Find out if your building is a contributing property in the Central Whidbey Historic District.
Explore the resources available to help you with the preservation of your building(s):
Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve Design Guidelines
The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties
1983 National Park Service BLUE BOOK Inventory of historic properties in the Reserve
For more information on the preservation of historic buildings, please contact the Preservation Coordinator at 360.678.6084.