Preserve Omaha Mini-Conference: Built To Last

THE WAIT IS OVER!

For five years, you’ve been asking: “When’s the next Preserve Omaha conference?”
Well friends… it’s happening. And it’s going to be BIG.

When: Saturday, September 20, 2025
Where: Yates Community Center (freshly restored and ready to wow you!)

Here's the schedule for our jam-packed day:

• 9:00-9:50: It’s a Material World:  Using the APT Building Technology Heritage Library

  The APT Building Technology Heritage Library is a time-traveler’s guide to vintage building trade catalogs, home plan books, builder’s guides and other trade literature. This free online library can be easily used by historic home owners, preservation tradesmen, or design professionals. This session will explain the origins and best practices to use this modern tool for historic preservation. Special emphasis will be placed on the Omaha resources that are part of this library. Historic home owners will learn how to research the myriad of materials used in a decade by decade search compendium. 
  
  

• 10:00-10:50: Kregel Windmill Factory Company

  Dave Calease authored the National Historic Landmark nomination for the Kregel Windmill Company Factory, in Nebraska City. He'll speak on the role of windmills in late-19th and early 20th century America, his research on Kregel, and what makes the Kregel factory truly unique in our nation's history. Jerry Berggren, AIA was retained by the Kregel Windmill Factory Foundation to convert the abandoned factory to a museum. He will speak about the challenges of preserving the factory and its artifacts in situ while creating a safe environment for the public to enjoy.

  
  

• 11:00-11:50: Revitalization Through Preservation

  Learn about how you can use historic tax credits to reactivate underutilized historic buildings in your community. This session will introduce attendees to State and Federal Historic Tax Credits and the Valuation Incentive Program, discuss the requirements, successful applications, and share completed project examples. This session will offer a relevant learning experience by sharing how you can use historic tax credits to reactivate underutilized buildings in your communities.

  
  

• 12:00-12:50: Lunch from California Tacos & More
  
  

• 10:00-1:00: Demonstration of Decorative Plaster Molds and Casts
  
  Join us for a workshop centering around creating, restoring and repairing decorative plaster in your old home or business. Preserve Omaha’s The Jo(h)ns will lead us on a hands-on journey covering it all from start to finish! Attendees will get to work with actual plaster in the Preserve Omaha tent.
  
  
  

• 1:00-1:50: Preservation of Historic Windows

  In this session, David White of Aksarben Window Works will discuss the reasons historic windows should be rehabilitated rather than replaced.  Unlike most new windows, historic windows can be easily repaired and rehabilitated using simple tools. Learn how to disassemble a double-hung window, safely restore it and improve its energy efficiency.

  
  

• 2:15-3:30: Tour of the Ford Conservation Center
  
  Get a behind the scenes tour of the Ford Conservation Center which is a regional conservation facility and division of the Nebraska State Historical Society. Services provided at the center include the conservation, examination and treatment of three-dimension objects, paintings, and works on paper, as well as consultations on many collection-related topics such as institutional assessments and condition surveys on collections. The tour is limited to 30 guests.
  
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• 2:15-3:30: Walking tour of the historic Hillside Neighborhood
  
  Before you head over to the California Bar, take a walking tour around the once prestigious neighborhood of Hillside.  Hillside was the name Henry W. Yates gave to his beloved mansion, remnants of which were incorporated into the Hillside Court Apartments.  Yates Elementary School and the homes of a number of Omaha leaders were constructed in the Hillside Addition subdivision and still stand today. 
  
  

• 3:30-5:00: Happy hour at California Bar

  Join Preserve Omaha for an evening of conversation and libations at California Bar. At 88 years old, “Cali Bar” holds the distinction of being Omaha’s third-oldest continuously operating bar in its original location.

  
  

️$30 for members / $40 for nonmembers — lunch from California Tacos & More included
️Spots are limited!

It’s been way too long. Let’s get together, geek out over beautiful old buildings, and celebrate everything that’s Built To Last.