Not everything should be preserved. To be considered for designation, a building or district must represent and reflect elements of the county s culture, social, economic, religious, political, architectural, or aesthetic heritage. More than 400 buildings have been designated for heritage preservation in the all of Deschutes County. These include churches, workers cottages, bridges, warehouses, and commercial blocks. Currently one National Register Historic District has also been designated for heritage preservation.
Designation is a form of protection for significant buildings and districts.
However, designation does not mean freezing a building in time. Recent projects such as the conversion of the Oregon Trunk Railway Depot in Bend to the Art Station demonstrates the commitment of the HLC to allow for the adaptive reuse of buildings. In 1995, the HLC began drafting a plan for future preservation efforts in Deschutes County. Other future projects include on-going research and designation of eligible sites and districts as local landmarks, public education and community outreach programs, and the integration of historic preservation with city planning and development activities. The staff and the commissioners are happy to answer any questions you may have about historic preservation.