Heritage Square Foundation

HERITAGE SQUARE FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO PRESERVING AND SHARING THE STORIES, COLLECTION, HISTORIC BUILDINGS, AND GROUNDS OF HERITAGE SQUARE, SERVING AS A RELEVANT, ENGAGING, AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY RESOURCE AND AS A TANGIBLE CONNECTION TO OUR DIVERSE LOCAL HISTORY.

HERITAGE SQUARE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS 10 HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN ONE SQUARE BLOCK OF DOWNTOWN PHOENIX, INCLUDING THE ROSSON HOUSE MUSEUM. OUR PURPOSE IS TO PRESERVE THE BUILDINGS AND MUSEUM COLLECTIONS AND TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON PHOENIX HISTORY AND VICTORIAN LIFE. THE ROSSON HOUSE WAS ONLY OPEN FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MONTHS IN FY2021 AND OPERATED AT ABOUT 50 PERCENT CAPACITY. MOST TOURS WERE FULL, AND WE WERE ABLE TO SEE OVER 1,000 VISITORS THROUGH THE MUSEUM. WE ALSO PROVIDED SPECIALTY TOURS OF THE ROSSON HOUSE AND TEETER HOUSE THAT DIVE INTO THE VICTORIAN FASCINATION WITH THE SUPERNATURAL. DURING THE PANDEMIC, OUR LATH PAVILION WAS USED AS A MUTUAL AID STATION FOR PHOENICIANS IN NEED. THE COMMUNITY RESOURCE EXCHANGE ACCEPTED DONATIONS THROUGH THE WEEK THAT WENT BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. EVOLVING OUR EVENTS SPACE INTO A COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACE ALLOWED US TO ENGAGE WITH OUR NEIGHBORS DIRECTLY, SERVING OVER 1000 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. WE CREATED OUTDOOR SCAVENGER HUNTS FOR FAMILIES, FILMED VIDEO CONTENT ABOUT OUR MEMORIAL ROSE GARDEN, AND DEVELOPED A VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE PARK AND ITS HISTORY. WE ALSO HOSTED CIRQUE DU VOTE, A FREE ACROBATIC ACT TO ENCOURAGE VOTING, OUTDOOR MOVIE NIGHTS, MULTIPLE MUSIC PERFORMANCES, AND YOGA CLASSES. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EMANCIPATION ARTS LLC, WE SECURED FUNDING FOR A SERIES OF ACTIVITIES TO GROW OUR UNDERSTANDING OF BLACK HISTORY AND CULTURE IN ARIZONA AND EXPAND OUR INTERPRETATION OF IT. WE WORKED WITH SALT RIVER PROJECT TO DELIVER ARCHIVES WORKSHOPS FOR ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN PEOPLE CAN LEARN THE IMPORTANCE OF AND METHODS OF CARING FOR THEIR RECORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY OF THEIR COMMUNITY. WE ALSO FACILITATED A VIRTUAL POETRY WORKSHOP, POETRY READINGS, AND LIVE JAZZ DURING AN UMOJA GATHERING DURING KWANZAA IN DECEMBER 2020. THESE ACTIVITIES IN TOTAL REACHED OVER 2800 PEOPLE.

HERITAGE SQUARE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS 10 HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN ONE SQUARE BLOCK OF DOWNTOWN PHOENIX, INCLUDING THE ROSSON HOUSE MUSEUM. OUR PURPOSE IS TO PRESERVE THE BUILDINGS AND MUSEUM COLLECTIONS AND TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON PHOENIX HISTORY AND VICTORIAN LIFE. THE ROSSON HOUSE WAS ONLY OPEN FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MONTHS IN FY2021 AND OPERATED AT ABOUT 50 PERCENT CAPACITY. MOST TOURS WERE FULL, AND WE WERE ABLE TO SEE OVER 1,000 VISITORS THROUGH THE MUSEUM. WE ALSO PROVIDED SPECIALTY TOURS OF THE ROSSON HOUSE AND TEETER HOUSE THAT DIVE INTO THE VICTORIAN FASCINATION WITH THE SUPERNATURAL. DURING THE PANDEMIC, OUR LATH PAVILION WAS USED AS A MUTUAL AID STATION FOR PHOENICIANS IN NEED. THE COMMUNITY RESOURCE EXCHANGE ACCEPTED DONATIONS THROUGH THE WEEK THAT WENT BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. EVOLVING OUR EVENTS SPACE INTO A COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACE ALLOWED US TO ENGAGE WITH OUR NEIGHBORS DIRECTLY, SERVING OVER 1000 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. WE CREATED OUTDOOR SCAVENGER HUNTS FOR FAMILIES, FILMED VIDEO CONTENT ABOUT OUR MEMORIAL ROSE GARDEN, AND DEVELOPED A VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE PARK AND ITS HISTORY. WE ALSO HOSTED CIRQUE DU VOTE, A FREE ACROBATIC ACT TO ENCOURAGE VOTING, OUTDOOR MOVIE NIGHTS, MULTIPLE MUSIC PERFORMANCES, AND YOGA CLASSES. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EMANCIPATION ARTS LLC, WE SECURED FUNDING FOR A SERIES OF ACTIVITIES TO GROW OUR UNDERSTANDING OF BLACK HISTORY AND CULTURE IN ARIZONA AND EXPAND OUR INTERPRETATION OF IT. WE WORKED WITH SALT RIVER PROJECT TO DELIVER ARCHIVES WORKSHOPS FOR ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN PEOPLE CAN LEARN THE IMPORTANCE OF AND METHODS OF CARING FOR THEIR RECORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY OF THEIR COMMUNITY. WE ALSO FACILITATED A VIRTUAL POETRY WORKSHOP, POETRY READINGS, AND LIVE JAZZ DURING AN UMOJA GATHERING DURING KWANZAA IN DECEMBER 2020. THESE ACTIVITIES IN TOTAL REACHED OVER 2800 PEOPLE.