Melinda Herzog To Speak At May 20th Historical Society Meeting At Legion

On Sunday evening, May 20, the Blowing Rock Historical Society will be treated to a presentation by Melinda Herzog. Ms. Herzog has been the Executive Director of the Catawba County Historical Association since July 2006.
Prior to coming to Catawba County, Ms. Herzog served as the Director of Historic Resources for the city of Manassas, Virginia where she directed the restoration of two earthwork Civil War fortifications, a 1907 three-story brick candy factor and oversaw the first phase of restoration of the Liberia Plantation House. Liberia House once served as General Beauregard’s headquarters during the Battle of First Manassas.
Formerly a faculty member at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, Ms. Herzog holds a BA in history and studio art from Trinity University, San Antonio and a MA in Museum Studies specializing in Museum Administration and Historic Preservation from Texas Tech University in Lubbock.
Ms. Herzog’s presentation to the group will be an overview of historic preservation in America and the changing philosophies of modern preservationists. She will present examples of historic preservation, restoration, reconstruction and adaptive reuse and will discuss their role in interpreting our heritage, advancing tourism, and revitalizing rural communities and urban center cities.
The group will also see images documenting the recent restoration of the 1887 Harper House, a historic property of the Catawba County Historical Association in Hickory. There is information on this Gilded Age landmark structure at web site HYPERLINK "http://www.catawbahistory.org" www.catawbahistory.org
The meeting will be held at the American Legion Hall beginning at 5:30 p.m. with fellowship followed by dinner from Woodlands Barbeque and Ms. Herzog’s presentation.