The Historic Landmarks Advisory Committee (HLAC) was formed in February 2008 to implement Strategy 15 in the Hillsboro 2020 Vision and Action Plan.

Duties of the HLAC include:

• Review and make recommendations to the Planning Commission on actions affecting properties on the Cultural Resource Inventory:
  • exterior remodeling of existing resources
  • demolition or relocation of existing resources
  • nomination of new properties
• Conduct general public outreach on historic preservation
• Provide specific assistance to owners of historic properties
• Develop and implement an annual historic preservation work plan
• Pursue and administer certified Local Government grants for the benefit of the City 

Joan Krahmer was a lifelong resident of Hillsboro who grew up in the historic Orenco neighborhood. She was an excellent steward of her home, the Edward Schulmerich House on East Main Street at Sixth Avenue. Joan Krahmer was a member of the Historic Landmarks Advisory Committee and a strong advocate for preservation of history and historic structures.

Established in her memory, Krahmer Grants are non-competitive matching grants, intended to partially reimburse costs of eligible improvements. Successful applicants will be notified of the award, but payment will be contingent on completion of the specified improvements, and documentation of expended costs, in a manner satisfactory to the City.

View more information on the Krahmer Grant program through the Grant Application and Program Information.

Preservation accomplished through use of the Krahmer Grant.

The Cultural Resource Inventory includes significant and historic buildings, structures, objects, trees, and sites in the City of Hillsboro.

While the Inventory includes 87 sites that are noteworthy in exploring the culture and history of  Hillsboro, it is not an exhaustive list and currently mostly centers on White history post-settlement.

The City intends to include more resources, tangible and intangible, to better represent and include diverse narratives of the community's history in the future.

Explore Hillsboro's Cultural Resources Map.

Statewide Planning Goal 5 requires all local governments to inventory their historic resources and to protect those found significant. Hillsboro has had a Cultural Resource Inventory since 1985. The sites on the Inventory are protected under Community Development Code Section 12.27.300. 

Two local Historic Districts are recognized in Hillsboro: the Downtown Historic District and Orenco Historic District.  These districts are recognized for their local historic value and are preserved through the implementation of design guidelines. Design guidelines ensure that cultural resources within a Historic District are respected and that new construction is compatible with the character of the neighborhood. To discover Hillsboro's Historic Districts virtually, or by food, download the walking tours below:

• Historic Downtown Hillsboro Walking Map
• Historic Old Orenco Walking Map

Each year the Preserving Historic Hillsboro Awards recognize the visible reminders of our community's long history, and the people who have preserved them.

Awards are presented in several categories:

• Stewardship of a residential structure in original condition
• Stewardship of a non-residential structure in original condition
• Restoration of a residential structure
• Retention of a historic structure through remodeling and adaptive reuse
• Historically appropriate new construction or reconstruction
• The Chair's award for preservation that falls outside those categories

For the past two years, Historic Hillsboro Award winners whose properties are on the Cultural Resource Inventory will also receive a Hillsboro Heritage Plaque.

Left to Right: Donelson House, 2018 Retention of a Historic Structure through Remodeling and Adaptive Reuse award; Hillsboro Heritage Plaque.

Hillsboro Grange Building, 2018 Chairs award.

Over 800 historic images of Washington County are available online through this project, a cooperative project among the Washington County Museum, local historical societies, community libraries, and non-profit organizations. The project was funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Oregon State Library. View over 800 images of historic Hillsboro at the Washington County Heritage Organization website.

Hillsboro (Images of America) is a pictorial introduction to the history of our City.

For more information on how to purchase a copy, please contact the Planning Department at 503-681-6153 of our community. The book combines vintage images of historic Hillsboro with narrative written by Debbie Raber, Kimberli Fitzgerald and the HLAC. Authors' royalties are donated to the City to support preservation programs. 

Historic Hillsboro: A Selection of the City's Historic Resources