The Construction Technology Department has the only Historic Preservation and Restoration program west of the Mississippi.

Historic Preservation and Restoration Technology (HPRT)

The HPRT program was initiated in response to requests from local employers, homeowners, trades people, students, state & federal agencies charged with preserving public historic resources; all wanting training and expertise in this field.

HPRT is a hands-on program of study at College of the Redwoods that offers four options for students:

• A.S. Degree
• Certificate of Recognition
• General study for professional growth in the field of Historic Preservation
• Specialized wanting hands-on training with various materials like: wood lath and plaster repairs, stained glass, casting and mold making, wood science, interior surface materials like: wall paper, paints, shellac, and plasters

A. S. Degree – Historic Preservation and Restoration
Through successful completion of both our theory and hands-on courses, students shall become well rounded and qualified to participate in making sound preservation choices, to continue with further higher education, or to enter the preservation work force, and generally, to earn a meaningful wage within their community.

Employment opportunities will vary with ones commitment to the construction field specializing in Historic Preservation and may include: historic research, physical building analysis and documentation of existing conditions, existing conditions assessments, sustainable building reuse, building conservation, and repair/rehabilitation of structures. The building trades will become a viable source of income with knowledge gained from these courses, as the field of Historic Preservation is fast becoming competitive with new construction in creating career opportunities.

Material Sciences
Building conservation and sustainable building reuse of historic buildings requires the understanding of the various building materials, working characteristics and properties of materials when repair and replacement decisions are planned. This series of courses puts materials, tools, and process into the students’ hands to learn and apply the knowledge first hand.

Art Waves
Please click on the start triangle to listen to a short radio interview recorded with two Historic Preservation and Restoration Technology (HPRT) students, Pamela Chestnut and Tara Smith, along with Professor Bill Hole in Spring 2008. The interview focused on advertising a classic 1927 movie “Valley of the Giants” for community fund-raising for project materials at the Field School, an 1892 Queen Anne cottage, named the Annie B. Ryan Historic House.

Listen to insights and HPRT program review by the two students and their professor describe their experiences working in this hands-on working lab.

June 2008 Radio Interview by Wendy Butler (from "Artwaves" on KHSU)

HPRT DVD Clip
Click on the start triangle to view a short film strip that overviews the HPRT program at College of the Redwoods. This active, hands-on training program is the only program west of Colorado teaching specialties in building rehab and sustainability, focused on our historic built environment.