Additional Coverage:
- This year’s most endangered historic places nod to America 250 and the promise of equality for all (apnews.com)
WASHINGTON – The National Trust for Historic Preservation has identified 11 historic sites across the United States as the most endangered for 2026, spotlighting locations that embody the nation’s ongoing struggle for equality. The list, announced Wednesday, coincides with America’s 250th anniversary and centers on the foundational principle that all people are created equal.
Carol Quillen, president and CEO of the nonprofit organization, emphasized the importance of preserving these sites not only for their physical presence but also for the powerful stories they hold. “We wanted to highlight places, sometimes lesser known, that reflect the fight for justice and equality throughout American history,” she said.
The endangered sites span the country, from the East and West Coasts to the South, Midwest, and Rocky Mountain West. Notably, three of the locations-the Stonewall National Monument in New York, El Corazon Sagrado de la Iglesia de Jesus in Texas, and the President’s House Site in Philadelphia-have faced threats linked to policies enacted during the Trump administration.
In a first since the list’s inception in 1988, each site will receive a one-time grant of $25,000 to support preservation efforts and raise awareness of their connection to the principle of equality.
Here is a summary of the 11 endangered historic places:
- Montgomery, Alabama: Ben Moore Hotel
Once a sanctuary for Black Americans during segregation, this hotel hosted civil rights leaders like Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. The vacant building suffers from structural decline amid development pressures in the Centennial Hill neighborhood.
- Modoc County, California: Tule Lake Segregation Center
Initially an internment camp, later a segregation center for Japanese Americans deemed disloyal during World War II. While managed as a national monument, only a small portion is federally protected, with much of the site threatened by nearby construction plans.
- Tiburon Island, California: Angel Island Immigration Station
The largest West Coast immigration port from 1910 to 1940, it processed thousands of Asian and Pacific immigrants often subjected to detention and interrogation based on race. The station faces multiple threats including environmental and economic challenges.
- Somerset, Massachusetts: Swansea Friends Meeting House
Built in 1701 as a refuge for Quakers escaping religious persecution, this is Massachusetts’ oldest surviving Quaker meeting house. It has been closed for years and requires extensive rehabilitation.
- Detroit, Michigan: Detroit Association of Women’s Clubs
Founded in 1921 as one of Detroit’s first Black organizations to own its own headquarters, the building has been closed since 2024 due to water damage. Funds are needed for repairs to reopen the historic site.
- Greater Chaco Cultural Landscape (New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Utah)
This ancestral homeland of the Pueblo and Hopi peoples faces threats from potential oil and gas development due to changes in federal land policies, putting its cultural integrity at risk.
- Seneca Falls, New York: Women’s Rights National Historical Park
Commemorating the 1848 Women’s Rights Convention, the park has a maintenance backlog exceeding $10 million and requires additional funding to preserve its educational mission.
- New York, New York: Stonewall National Monument
The nation’s first monument dedicated to LGBTQ+ history experienced controversy when the Pride flag was removed and later restored amid legal challenges. The Trump administration’s rollback of diversity initiatives also impacted the monument’s interpretive materials.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The President’s House Site
Exhibits highlighting the lives of nine enslaved individuals during George Washington’s residency were removed under the Trump administration’s directive to eliminate content deemed “disparaging.” Legal disputes between the city and federal government continue.
- Heath Springs, South Carolina: Hanging Rock Revolutionary War Battlefield
Site of a pivotal Revolutionary War battle, only part of the battlefield is preserved. Increasing development pressures threaten the area as the local population grows.
- Ruidosa, Texas: El Corazon Sagrado de la Iglesia de Jesus
This historic adobe church served Mexican and Mexican American communities along the Rio Grande. Though restoration efforts have helped, the site remains at risk from proposed border wall construction nearby.
The National Trust’s report underscores the critical need to preserve these historic sites-not only for their architectural significance but for the vital narratives of resilience and equality they represent. As the nation reflects on its 250-year journey, these places offer invaluable lessons on the ongoing pursuit of justice.