In 1977, CCHP was formed by a handful of individuals to encourage the preservation and appreciation of our area's historic resources for the benefit of the community, aesthetically and economically. With the help of a steadily growing membership, we have accomplished much.

Purchase and renovation of the Winternitz Block, 127 Bridge Street, in the heart of Old Town and now housing the CCHP office and the SANTA FE INTERPRETIVE CENTER

National Register of Historic Places nominations for the 918 buildings listed in Las Vegas.

Self guided walking tour brochures for nine historic districts and other historic sites- extremely popular with visitors and residents alike.

Annual "Places With A Past" historic buildings tour featuring Victorian, adobe commercial and residential buildings and homes.

Annual Christmas House Tour featuring approximately 6 uniquely decorated homes, music and refreshments.

The City of Las Vegas and CCHP have created a historic buildings ordinance to preserve and protect our neighborhoods, cultural and history

CCHP helped the City of Las Vegas achieve Certified Local Government status to receive funds earmarked for preservation. These funds assist in the production of our Newsletter.

CCHP holds periodic seminars and workshops to teach and inform residents about aspects of history and preservation.

The CCHP office serves as a clearing house for information related to rehabilitating and caring for historic buildings, including economic incentives and advice.

CCHP provides architectural histories on specific homes and maintains a photo archive of more than 3,000 images of early Las Vegas.

WHY PRESERVE?

Economy. The most unusual aspect of Las Vegas is its abundance of historic buildings and site. Most visitors Come to Las Vegas to see these buildings and those people eat, sleep and make purchases at Las Vegas stores restaurants and hotels They take home photographs and memories but they leave behind the money for the film they buy.

Education. Historic buildings offer a lesson in the history of this area and relate it to what is happening worldwide. Other people have to imagine the building on which Kearny proclaimed New Mexico territory for the United States; we can visit this place daily. History is real and can be touched.

Historic buildings are an art lesson too. Balance, design, color, form materials scale craftsmanship. Just ask the West Las Vegas art students who have drawn them and the Texas Tech architectural students who have studied them.

Environment. Historic buildings are recyclable on a really grand scale. For every existing building that is recycled and put back into use as a family home or somebody's business, natural resources are saved and the environment is spared land, water and air pollution caused by the manufacture of new building materials.

It can cost much less to rehabilitate than to build a comparable new structure. And by using existing structures we can save our open spaces to be enjoyed for generations to come.

The Future. We have a choice to make. We can recognize the value there is in our historic structures and direct funds and labor now to protect, preserve and use them. Or we can disregard this responsibility to future Las Vegans by allowing active and passive demolition of historic buildings.

People are responsible for creating our historic resources. And people have benefited from them in the past. NOW it is up to people once again to ensure their preservation and continued use in order that future generations can also benefit from Las Vegas' historic resources.

There are also several current projects going on at CCHP. Please take some time and check them out!

If you would like to learn more about any of these projects, please e-mail us at historic@cybermesa.com or would like to become a CCHP member, please Click Here