Preserving Shorewood's Historic Architecture

The Village is partnering with the State Historical Society, Shorewood Historical Society, and the Shorewood Public Library to provide an education program called "Shorewood Architecture Reflects Village History: How Can We Leverage Our Historic Resources to Benefit the Whole Community?"

The program will be a three-part series that will cover Shorewood history, architecture, and tools for conversation held via Zoom. All sessions will be recorded for future reference and posted on the Village website in case you are unable to attend. Here is a summary of each of the sessions (more information here):

This overview of the history of Shorewood will be presented by Karen de Hartog of the Shorewood Historical Society. The history and development of the Village from the time it was settled by farmers to its present-day density will be covered. Jason Tish of the Wisconsin State Historic Preservation Office and Shorewood Village Manager Rebecca Ewald will join in the discussion focusing on Shorewood architecture. Attendees will be invited to comment and ask questions following the presentation.

This session will present a review of historic places and neighborhoods in Shorewood that have been identified or designated as potentially historically significant. Jason Tish of the Wisconsin State Historic Preservation Office will present the highlights of “Architectural Survey of Shorewood Wisconsin” completed in 2011. He will explain how historical places are officially designated and what effects that designation would have on the community. He will also comment on the buildings in Shorewood that are already on the National Register of Historic Places. After the presentation, attendees will be invited to comment and ask questions.

A variety of tools are available to assist communities interested in conserving historic properties. Jason Tish of the Wisconsin State Historic Preservation Office will explain the range of options available to local government and property owners. Individual property preservation (businesses, public buildings, individual and multi-family homes) historic districts and other unique options will be considered. After the presentation, attendees will be invited to comment and ask questions.

At the end of the three sessions, attendee opinions on historic preservation in Shorewood, the usefulness of particular preservation tools and next steps for our Village will be solicited in a questionnaire. Participants will be encouraged to share opinions and ideas on steps the Village could take to conserve the unique historic character of places and neighborhoods that bear witness to the community’s history. After conclusion of the program, the Village will take additional steps to obtain public input on the preservation options discussed. The results would be provided to the Village Board for review and possible consideration of next steps.