Since February 2021, Historic Wallingford has been the target of a disinformation campaign about our neighborhood’s effort to nominate a portion of northeast Wallingford to the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district.
We again wish to clarify our position and make sure you have good information in case you have questions.
Receiving an honorary historic designation, like the National Register designation this effort is seeking, comes with no restrictions on city land use policies or on a private property owner regarding development, use, maintenance, or alterations. The Washington Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation’s website explains this. We hosted two public meetings in 2021 to discuss this and field questions.
The purpose of the effort is to document the history and architecture of Wallingford, and that includes any negative parts of that history, such as policies that were exclusionary and which continue to impact the community to this day. It includes uncovering stories of past Wallingfordians, including women, immigrants, and working-class residents. Too often they and their contributions have not traditionally been recognized. Ultimately, we hope this historic district designation results in a richer, more inclusive story of our neighborhood and an appreciation for its historic architecture. We particularly welcome any stories you can tell us that you know about Wallingford.
You can read more about the nomination effort here. And if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@historicwallingford.org.