Meet Abby! Our 2024 Summer Intern

Abby Milonas has joined our N.H. Preservation Alliance team as a summer intern for the month of June. Abby is a New Hampshire native who grew up in Hooksett and is a member of the Hooksett Heritage Commission. She got her BA in History from the College of Charleston in South Carolina and recently graduated from Clemson University with her MS in Historic Preservation. She has been learning from our Deputy Director Beverly Thomas about the various properties for which the Preservation Alliance holds easements and written an article about how to remove lichen from historic roofs. She will also visit historic sites around the state and learn all about how the Alliance protects New Hampshire’s historic properties.

What originally drew you to working in the field of preservation?

“Growing up in New England, I was always surrounded by historic buildings. I felt inexplicably drawn to them. After I got my BA in History, I felt stagnant and unsure how to fulfill my passions. One day I recalled a piece of advice given to me by a mentor, Alan Stello: ‘If money was no object, what would you do all day?’ My answer: I would spend my days exploring old buildings and restoring them for future visitors. Whenever I step inside one, I think about all the people who walked the same floor before me, and about the young women who lived or worked there who had dreams and aspirations just like I do. Historic preservation makes me feel connected to those people of the past.”

What are your first impressions after working with the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance for a week?

“I am beyond impressed with how much has been accomplished by such a small team! Everyone I’ve met has been incredibly talented, hardworking, and passionate about historic preservation. There is always something new to work on, and I never feel like I’m just doing ‘busy work’; every task fulfills the Alliance’s mission. I come in every morning excited to learn and do my part to preserve New Hampshire’s historic resources.”

What kind of role will you be fulfilling within the organization during your internship?

“I will be learning about all the different roles the Preservation Alliance plays in caring for the state’s historic buildings and sites. These include monitoring preservation easements, providing resources for property owners, educating the public on and advocating for preservation projects, reviewing grant applications, visiting sites, and more. At the end of the first month in the Preservation Alliance office, I will spend five weeks working with Arron Sturgis of Preservation Timber Framing to learn about how his team helps preserve historic wood frame buildings.”

What makes you optimistic about the future of historic preservation?

“A professor of mine often said that ‘the greenest building is the one that’s already built.’ As members of my generation prepare for homeownership, I see more and more people turning to historic homes for their environmental sustainability, as well as the economic benefits, which are all the more significant in the current affordable housing crisis. The idea that historic districts exist solely to restrict private property owners’ freedom is going away, and more young people are seeing the value in investing in the longevity of historic buildings. Technology is also evolving to create more compatible building materials, making buildings safer without compromising historical integrity.”