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Event & Conference Details
The Bosco-Milligan Foundation Celebrates 25 Years of Historic Preservation at Annual Auction
October 20, 2012 |
The Bosco-Milligan Foundation (BMF), a local organization dedicated to the preservation of historic buildings and architecture, will kick off its 25th anniversary celebration on October 20th with its annual fund-raising auction at the Melody Ballroom in Southeast Portland.
The foundation, started by Jerry Bosco and Ben Milligan, two men who shared a zeal for preserving and caring for Portland’s cultural heritage, maintains one of the largest collections of architectural artifacts in the USA and operates the Architectural Heritage Center (AHC), devoted to local architectural history as well as education and research. The founders rescued a number of local buildings from alteration or destruction, such as The Old Church on SW Clay, the building now occupied by The Pied Cow coffeehouse on SE Belmont, and the Barbur Block on SE Grand. When they could not stop the demolition of a building, they would save as many components of its
architecture as possible, which is why the Bosco-Milligan Foundation has such an expansive collection of Portland’s architectural history.
Many prominent builders, retailers, and local figures are participating in the organization’s upcoming celebration which will highlight the people places and events who have made contributions to Portland’s neighborhoods and history. The Executive Director of the AHC, Cathy Galbraith, says the upcoming annual auction “offers people who love fine architecture, craftsmanship, and want to preserve the distinctive character of our city a unique opportunity to bring home something truly special while supporting the Foundation’s activities.” As one would expect with a historic organization, some of the items up for bid will be antiques and vintage items, but also expect local and distant vacations, artwork, jewelry, home repair, furniture, passes to local events, and oddities. This year’s auction will offer live music, fine dining, and an entertaining evening at the Melody Ballroom, and the Master of Ceremonies will be “Handyman Bob” Strong, from Around the House on 101 KXL. Patron tickets are $100 and all others are $75, and are available online at: http://bit.ly/ahcauctiontickets
Even prior to establishing the Foundation, Bosco and Milligan were saving a massive
collection of architectural artifacts and a number of local historic buildings. During a period between the 1950s and the 1970s, when local historic sites were more often thought of as obstacles to development rather than as historic and cultural treasures, the two were already active in preserving and saving as much of Portland’s history as possible, and the Foundation was established in 1987 as part of an effort to maintain the collections and ensure the founders’ legacy.
The Architectural Heritage Center is housed in the West’s Block building which is the oldest building still standing in the Central Eastside Industrial area. The building was constructed in 1883, and was purchased and saved from disrepair by the Bosco-Milligan Foundation’s founders. It was opened to the public in 2005. The AHC holds regular educational activities open to the public as part of their efforts to promote Portland’s cultural heritage, including outdoor walking tours of historic neighborhoods during the warmer months, educational workshops on a wide array of subjects, and tours of the interiors of local historic or architecturally significant homes. As a non profit organization, the AHC is only able to function with the help of devoted volunteers and the funds raised from various events they put on.
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Website:
www.visitahc.org |
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| Location Information |
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Melody Ballroom |
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Portland, OR |
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| Contact Information |
| Email:
intern@visitahc.org |
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