Skip to contentSkip to navigation

Who We Are

Our Mission
The Heritage Conservation Council of Douglas County promotes the conservation of our cultural and natural heritage to honor our past, enrich our present, and inspire our future.

The Heritage Conservation Council makes recommendations to the Douglas County Commission on how to best establish a framework to conserve our natural & cultural heritage for future generations and to enhance economic benefits of tourism, local agriculture, and other endeavors based on such conservation efforts.

Background Documents: Natural Cultural Heritage Taskforce Final Report (PDF format)     HCC Resolution 11-19 (PDF format)

  1. Background - Heritage Conservation Council 2011 – 2019
    Establishment of the Heritage Conservation Council and Statement of Purpose (Douglas County Code, Chapter 14 Heritage Conservation Plan)
    1. Ensure the conservation of the County’s natural and cultural resources.
    2. Identify, conserve and promote the County's natural resources, prehistoric, historic and cultural heritage through an ongoing surveys and studies of natural and cultural heritage resources.
    3. Implement the strategies and goals contained in Chapter 11 of Horizon 2020 (the County’s Comprehensive Plan) for the protection, development and utilization of historic resources.
    4. Foster civic pride and promote tourism, particularly as related to the natural resources, pre-settlement history, settlement history, and the themes encompassed in Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area.
    5. Work in concert with the State Historic Preservation Officer and observe the State Preservation Act, contained at K.S.A. 75-2701 et seq., as amended.
    6. Support education programs to increase public awareness of and support for the County’s historic environment.

         14-103. The Heritage Conservation Plan is designed to be used in the unincorporated territory of Douglas County, Kansas and is to be used in conjunction with any existing zoning regulations. (HR-13-11-4)

  1. Purpose of heritage conservation council (DOUGLAS COUNTY RESOLUTION NO.11-19 Section 2). HCC Resolution 11-19 (PDF format)

The purpose of the Council is to ensure the conservation of Douglas County's natural and cultural resources. Toward this end, the council will:

  1. Administer the Douglas County Natural and Cultural Heritage Grant program
  2. Monitor the ongoing inventory of natural and cultural resources
  3. Pursue the designation of Douglas County as a Certified Local Government (CLG) 
  4. Adopt its own operational procedures, and
  5. Carry out any other task assigned by the Douglas County Commission

Council Members

Staff

 

Douglas County provided funds to assist Midland Railway at the Santa Fe Depot in Baldwin City with the construction of an additional rail line to enable multiple trains to run in and out of the depot site for tours and special events.
Douglas County provided funds to assist Midland Railway at the Santa Fe Depot in Baldwin City with the construction of an additional rail line to enable multiple trains to run in and out of the depot site for tours and special events.
  • Douglas County provided funds to assist Midland Railway at the Santa Fe Depot in Baldwin City with the construction of an additional rail line to enable multiple trains to run in and out of the depot site for tours and special events.
  • Lawrence Preservation Alliance received funds to gain ownership of the 1869 Lawrence Turnhalle building located at 900 Rhode Island built as a German immigrant community center. LPA’s project extended over a 26 month time period. LPA cleaned up the site and building, studied the building to determine root causes of deterioration, secured funding, made major repairs, and successfully found a new owner.
  • At Black Jack Battlefield near Baldwin City, the Robert Hall Pearson Farmhouse has received funding for exterior and interior restoration at their National Landmark battlefield site.
  • The Eudora Area Historical Society received funds for the restoration of 2 adjoining buildings at 720 Main Street to house the Eudora Community Museum and the Eudora Historical Society. The site now serves as an anchor in downtown Eudora which has recently become a member of the Kansas Main Street program with the goal of laying the groundwork to rehab the downtown business blocks.
  • The Watkins Museum of History located at Massachusetts and 11th Street received fund to assist with the fabrication of a major permanent exhibit relating to Quantrill’s Raid on Lawrence and Douglas County in 1863 and for the restoration and enhancement of the main staircase.
  • The Clinton Lake Historical Society received funding for the construction of an addition to the museum. The additional space allows the society more space to display and share the history at the Wakarusa River Valley Heritage Museum in Bloomington Park East at Clinton Lake just southwest of Lawrence.

Subscribe to the Heritage Conservation Council

For updates, sign up here!

* indicates required
Heritage Conservation Council (HCC)
  •  
  •  
  •