Issues & Advocacy
Part of PHW's core foundation is the sense of grass-roots, organized advocacy for historic resources. This advocacy can shed new light on sensible and profitable alternatives to demolition for neglected and under-utilized property. The legacy of our advocacy efforts can be seen in the creation of the Winchester National Register District, an honor that not only recognizes the city's architectural resources, but also opens the doors to economic incentives to rehabilitation instead of demolition. Learn about our current advocacy issues here.
The W. Raymond Jennings Revolving Fund
The cornerstone of PHW’s efforts to save historic homes in Winchester is the W. Raymond Jennings Revolving Fund. Over eighty properties are protected with covenants or easements held by PHW. Today, PHW monitors these properties to insure their long-term preservation. PHW began the W. Raymond Jennings Revolving Fund in 1975 to preserve and protect neglected or threatened structures in the Winchester Historic District.
The Revolving Fund is named in memory of Ray Jennings, PHW’s dynamic president in 1973 who initially introduced this effective method of preservation to Winchester. Unfortunately, Mr. Jennings died in a tragic accident before the concept developed into a reality. Following his death, a community-based pledge program was initiated in his memory. This funding, combined with a low interest loan from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and lines of credit from local banks, established the original corpus of the Jennings Revolving Fund.