Organized and led by Margaret Back and Gina Tangorra of the Newport Restoration Foundation
Margaret Back is a Preservation Projects Manager at the Newport Restoration Foundation. At NRF, Margaret leads projects connecting climate change and built heritage resiliency. Her current projects include an energy efficiency study for 19th-century Newport buildings, and she is project lead for the Keeping History Above Water conference series. She previously worked as a Preservation Manager for the South Region of Historic New England, where she oversaw preservation projects and facility maintenance for properties in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. She holds an M.S. in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania.
Gina Tangorra is the Director of Engagement for the Newport Restoration Foundation. She has been at NRF for 8 years, with evolving roles that have worked to advance NRF’s strategic engagement with communities, increase accessibility, spark curiosity, and encourage a sense of belonging through inclusive storytelling.
47 John Street: Inside a Preservation & Storytelling Project
Sunday May 3, 10am-11am
Cyclical building maintenance offers the opportunity to learn more about the history, use, and materiality of a specific property. At the ca.1740 Constant Tabor House located at 47 John Street in Newport, plaster walls, painted finishes, wallpaper fragments, and a remarkable faux-wood grained painted staircase are some of the unique features being actively repaired as part of NRF’s stewardship. This interior house “walk” will discuss how NRF distinguishes restoration from preservation while also sharing how uncovering architectural layers helps support storytelling about the house's past inhabitants.