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Preserve Chattanooga believes historic places are more than buildings — they are the places where our community’s stories, memories, and identity come to life. They connect us to our past while helping shape a vibrant and meaningful future.
Since 1975, our nonprofit organization has worked to protect the architecture, neighborhoods, and cultural landscapes that define Chattanooga’s unique character. Through advocacy, education, and community engagement, we demonstrate how preservation strengthens neighborhoods, encourages thoughtful growth, supports economic vitality, and enriches civic life.
Our work includes protecting threatened historic resources, providing preservation guidance, offering educational programs, expanding public awareness, and partnering with residents, property owners, businesses, and community leaders who value Chattanooga’s heritage.
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Preserve Chattanooga’s work began in 1975 with the founding of Landmarks Chattanooga and a grassroots effort to protect the historic Fort Wood neighborhood. From the beginning, the organization recognized that preserving historic places was essential to maintaining Chattanooga’s identity and quality of life.
Over the decades, our organization evolved to meet the changing needs of the community. For many years, our predecessor organization, Cornerstones, used a revolving fund model to acquire and stabilize threatened historic properties, including the Central Block (now home to United Way) and the Passenger Freight Depot (now home to HHM). The organization also supported preservation through structural analysis, advocacy, and stabilization efforts at significant landmarks such as Engel Stadium, the Ross Hotel (Tomorrow Building), and Brown’s Ferry Tavern — Hamilton County’s oldest surviving structure.
Following a rebrand in 2021, Preserve Chattanooga expanded its focus on education, advocacy, and community engagement while growing its historic preservation easement program and strengthening partnerships throughout the region.
Today, Preserve Chattanooga is leading the effort to update Chattanooga’s first comprehensive preservation plan since 1977 — creating a forward-looking roadmap that connects preservation with responsible growth and the future of our community.
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Preserve Chattanooga works to ensure that historic places remain active, relevant, and valued parts of our community. We advocate for threatened resources, support preservation solutions, and help property owners and community members understand the importance of protecting our shared heritage.
Through public programs, workshops, events, partnerships, and preservation initiatives, we connect people with Chattanooga’s history and inspire the next generation of preservation stewards.
Our work includes:
Advocacy: Promoting policies and practices that protect historic resources and encourage thoughtful development.
Education: Providing programs, resources, and opportunities that deepen appreciation for Chattanooga’s architecture and history.
Preservation Services: Supporting property owners and communities through technical assistance, guidance, and historic preservation easements.
Community Engagement: Bringing people together to celebrate the places and stories that make Chattanooga unique.
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Preserve Chattanooga is part of a broader effort to protect historic places locally, statewide, and nationally. We maintain active partnerships and memberships with organizations including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Preservation Partners Network, the Society of Architectural Historians, and the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions.
We also collaborate with the Tennessee Historical Commission and engage with national preservation initiatives through the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. These connections allow us to share knowledge, advocate effectively, and bring best practices to Chattanooga.
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As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization governed by a volunteer board of directors, Preserve Chattanooga is powered by people who believe that protecting the past helps build a stronger future.
Through community partnerships, philanthropy, and public involvement, we work every day to ensure Chattanooga’s historic places remain vibrant, meaningful, and preserved for generations to come.
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Todd Morgan
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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Nich Youngblood
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
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Delton Chen
BOARD PRESIDENT
Get To Know Us
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To protect the architectural heritage of Chattanooga through preservation, education, and advocacy.
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To ensure that Chattanooga’s historic resources are identified, protected, and celebrated for their beauty, history, and the valuable role they bring to the city’s economy, environment, and quality of life.
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Collaboration and Partnership: Our mission is advanced when we can successfully communicate complex issues to large audiences, engage supporters in the cause, and foster inclusive relationships throughout the community.
Stewardship: We seek to influence behavior and practice by promoting the means and incentives to preserve historic properties for their economic value, their role in preserving community identity, and as a tangible link to the past for current and future generations.
Respect for History: We believe Chattanooga can continue to grow and prosper without losing sight of its past, a past that makes this city distinct from all other places.
Informed Decisions: We believe government leaders, property owners, design professionals, and all preservationists will save more historic places when they make informed decisions regarding the use and treatment of historical resources.
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Our local preservation advocacy efforts prioritize the following:
Local Historic District assets and Local Historic Landmarks.
Individually listed National Register properties and districts.
Places and neighborhoods eligible or potentially eligible for official historic designation (local or national).
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Delton Chen - President
Dr. Dana Moody - Past President
Rachel Shannon - Vice President
Amber Mueller - Treasurer
Emily Mack- SecretaryDan Brewer
Cody McGee
Clecia Joi Mason
Maury Nicely
Kelly O’Mara
Natalie Phillips
Cassie Cline, Advisory Member, Chattanooga Historic Zoning CommissionNicole Osborne Watson, Gov. Relations Advisor
Miller & Martin - General CounselIf you are interested in becoming a board member, please fill out a Nomination Form and email it to Todd@preservechattanooga.com.
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Todd Morgan has served as Executive Director of Preserve Chattanooga since November 2021, where he leads efforts to protect and celebrate Chattanooga’s historic places while advancing preservation as a tool for community vitality and economic development.
Before joining Preserve Chattanooga, Todd was Executive Director of Knox Heritage, where he helped guide preservation initiatives and advocacy efforts in Knoxville. Earlier in his career, he served as Tennessee Main Street Director, leading statewide downtown revitalization programs that supported local economies and strengthened historic commercial districts.
Todd’s professional background bridges preservation, economic development, urban planning, and architecture—allowing him to approach historic places not only as cultural assets but as catalysts for vibrant communities.
In 2022, Mayor Tim Kelly appointed Todd to the Chattanooga Historic Zoning Commission. He is a 2024 graduate of Leadership Chattanooga and was honored as Adjunct Professor of the Year for teaching historic preservation at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga.
Todd received the Excellence in Historic Preservation Award from the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 2021. He is certified in historic real estate finance by the National Community Development Council and remains actively engaged in the preservation field through service on the board of the National Preservation Partners Network and the East Tennessee Historical Society. He is also a member of the Chattanooga Rotary Club.
Office: 423.265.2825
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Nich Youngblood leads fundraising initiatives, cultivates donor relationships, and helps expand philanthropic support for Preserve Chattanooga’s mission.
He brings nearly two decades of nonprofit experience to this role, including a deep background in development, donor stewardship, and international fundraising. Throughout his career, Nich has helped numerous organizations expand their impact through strategic fundraising, authentic storytelling, and meaningful community partnerships.
Nich previously served as Director of Operations for a historic polo ranch and event venue, where he oversaw programming, events, and stewardship of the 400-acre estate. Earlier in his career, he spent years living in Haiti, where he founded a youth tennis mentorship program dedicated to empowering at-risk youth through sport, mentorship, and education.
Nich has called Chattanooga home for several years and is passionate about preserving the places that give the city its unique character.
He and his husband own MDRN MUSE Dental Aesthetics in Chattanooga’s Southside neighborhood. Nich also enjoys staying active, exploring the city’s restaurants and historic neighborhoods, and rooting on his alma mater, the University of Texas Longhorns.
Office: 423.265.2825
Get in touch.
If you have questions about Preserve Chattanooga and our work in the community, please contact us.