About Us: About Us, Courses, ARCH

The Building Preservation Technology Program at Belmont Technical College is recognized nationally as the leader in providing hands-on training in the preservation trades. Since its inception in 1989, the program has grown to become one of the most recognized historic preservation programs in the United States attracting students from all areas of the country and a variety of academic backgrounds. Offering a

rigorous academic curriculum, the program builds a foundation of preservation technology and theory, allowing the student to explore various trades used in preserving historic buildings and apply theoretical knowledge through real world experiences. In 1994, the college was awarded the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office Public Education and Awareness Award.

Housed in the Science & Engineering Building with over 10,000 square feet of dedicated lab space which includes a wood shop, paint and glazing shop, plaster shop, metals lab, darkroom and drafting room, the program also supports a resource room containing Internet-accessible computers and the BPR special collection of over 1,000 volumes of books, videos and magazines specifically dealing with historic preservation and construction. The college also operates a field lab site. The historic 1846 Swaney House, a brick, Federal-style masonry house in the Morristown Historic District in Morristown, Ohio, is the subject of an on-going restoration directed by the faculty and performed by the students. The department has also traditionally operated a special summer field lab at a site

of national historical significance. Past sites have included the Frank Lloyd Wright house, Fallingwater, located in Bear Run, PA; the Richard Morris Hunt house, Grey Towers, located in Milford, PA; and the William Thornton designed Octagon House in Washington, DC.

Graduates of the Building Preservation Technology Program have gone on to a wide variety of careers within the preservation field. The Building Preservation Technology program has placed students in almost all undergraduate programs in historic preservation in the country and a number of grads have gone on to pursue master degrees in historic preservation and related fields.