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<br />It could be said that one of the major roles of the Museum within the City administration is to collect
<br />information, photos, and stories about Louisville and then disseminate them in different ways to the
<br />public, such as through Louisville Historian articles, research reports for the Planning Department,
<br />historical programs and walking tours, online access to historic photos, and activities of other
<br />organizations.
<br />Other entities in Louisville (such as the Cultural Council and Library) organize public programming, and
<br />other entities outside of Louisville (such as historical organizations in other cities along the Front Range)
<br />sponsor programs on historical topics relevant to their communities. The niche of the Louisville
<br />Historical Museum, and what sets the Museum apart, is its focus on the history and identity of the
<br />Louisville, Colorado area.
<br />The Museum provides support for many City projects, such as some initiated by the Planning
<br />Department, Golf Course, Open Space, Library, Recreation Center, Police Department, and Cultural Arts.
<br />This often takes the form of providing historical information or historic photos for the given project.
<br />The Museum also provides support for other community institutions and organizations such as Boulder
<br />County, Boulder Valley School District, area private schools, the Chamber of Commerce, Downtown
<br />Business Association, Society of Italian Americans, Lions Club, American Legion, Broomfield Rotary,
<br />Balfour Senior Living, the Louisville Arts District, and the Louisville Art Association.
<br />The 2016 Louisville Citizen Survey results show that "[n]ine in 10 awarded high marks to Historical
<br />Museum programs and the overall performance of the museum."
<br />The Museum Recognizes the Unsung Hero
<br />In a small town like Louisville, which had been a mining town without a lot of the resources of more
<br />affluent towns, the names of those who made the town what it is today can easily be lost. The Museum
<br />staff regularly seeks to bring recognition to those who made important contributions or sacrifices to the
<br />town. This is achieved through articles in The Louisville Historian, public programs, oral history
<br />interviews, website content, and exhibits. People and groups who have been so recognized include
<br />Charles C. Welch, the Harper Family, William Schutz, Victor Helburg, Bert Niehoff, Pearl Conley, Dr.
<br />Lucius Cassidy, and the Saturday Study Club. The Louisville Historical Commission's awarding of the
<br />Pioneer Award each year reinforces this value of recognizing those people whose work for the
<br />community might otherwise go unrecognized.
<br />Research of Historic Buildings Leads to Interesting Findings and Informed Property Decisions
<br />The City in 2005 adopted a Historic Preservation ordinance and thereby set up a procedure for dealing
<br />with historic structures. This had a major impact on the Louisville Historical Museum because there was
<br />limited reliable information available about the histories of buildings in Louisville. Starting in 2005, the
<br />City administration began to request research and reports (including the chain of ownership,
<br />biographical information about owners and residents, and all relevant historic photos) from the Museum
<br />Coordinator on the histories of historic buildings in Louisville. This role for the Museum expanded when,
<br />in 2008, Louisville voters approved a historic preservation tax that is believed to be the first dedicated
<br />municipal sales tax for historic preservation in the country. Today, nine hours per week of the Museum
<br />Coordinator's forty hours per week are budgeted for historic preservation research and are paid for out
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