Historic Preservation Month Finale: Why Preservation Matters in Downtown Hammond
As Historic Preservation Month comes to a close, read Historic District Coordinator Heather Diebold’s thoughts below on why preservation continues to matter in Downtown Hammond and how protecting our historic character helps shape the future of our downtown.
As Historic Preservation Month comes to a close, it is worth reflecting on what makes downtown Hammond special and why preserving that character matters.
Historic preservation is about much more than maintaining old buildings. It is about protecting the features, architectural details, craftsmanship, and historic character that give a place its identity and authenticity. The elements that make historic buildings special include their original brickwork, storefronts, windows, awnings, decorative details, construction materials, and other features that make one building different from the next. These elements are not accidental; they are intentional, tell the story of how a downtown developed over time, and contribute to the character that makes a downtown recognizable, unique, and memorable.
The Standards (or Guidelines, as they were previously known) applied within the Historic District are intended to help protect these defining characteristics while still allowing buildings to evolve and remain functional for contemporary use. Preservation seeks to balance change with continuity, allowing buildings to adapt and remain economically viable while ensuring that changes respect the historic qualities and architectural character that make these buildings distinctive.
Preservation and economic development are not competing goals; they work hand in hand.
Downtown Hammond continues to demonstrate the value of historic preservation as part of a successful downtown. The Historic District remains a place where businesses choose to invest, locate, and grow, while historic buildings continue to support a mix of restaurants, shops, professional offices, entertainment spaces, apartments, and homes. Increasingly, people are not only choosing to visit downtown Hammond, but to live here and make it part of their future. Today, few vacant buildings remain in downtown Hammond, reflecting the continued desirability of a preserved historic downtown.
Preservation also plays an important role in ensuring that future investment strengthens, rather than diminishes, what makes downtown Hammond special. As buildings continue to adapt to new uses and changing needs, thoughtful reinvestment helps preserve the downtown character and identity that residents, visitors, and businesses value.
As we conclude Historic Preservation Month, we celebrate not only Hammond’s historic buildings, but the role they continue to play in shaping a successful downtown for generations to come.
Heather Diebold, JD, Civil Law Notary
Historic District Coordinator | City of Hammond
219 E. Robert Street, Hammond, LA 70401
Office: 985.277.5684
