Preserving Shorewood's History: Public Input Sought In Survey

SHOREWOOD, WI — How should Shorewood approach preserving its countless examples of historic architecture? A survey from the village is asking its residents what they think.

The survey will seek to gauge community opinion on how Shorewood's historical buildings can be preserved for the benefit of the whole community, according to a Facebook post from the village.

Questions from the survey ask about people's priorities for historic preservation. One question asks directly what route the village should take when it comes to preservation.

Some options for historical preservation include new local ordinances, tax incentives, establishing historical districts or simply avoiding any restrictions on private property altogether.

The survey will be used to inform village officials and continue the conversation that was started in spring.

The questionnaire comes at the tail end of a three part educational program that launched in April. The Wisconsin Historical Society, Shorewood Historical Society, Village of Shorewood and Shorewood Public Library teamed up to create the program, the village website said.

Over three sessions, the community discussed with experts the history and development of Shorewood ever since its founding by farmers.

Discussions led into an overview of the many historic properties in Shorewood that have been identified or designated as such. Session two showed off highlights from a full "Architectural Survey of Shorewood Wisconsin" that was finished in 2011, according to the village's website.

In the final educational session, an expert from the Wisconsin State Historic Preservation Office discussed the range of tools available to the village for preserving its historic architecture.

Take the survey online.

The three educational sessions on historic preservation are all available online.