Breck Heritage Alliance begins year with new executive director

BRECKENRIDGE - As the runup to Breckenridge's 150th anniversary celebration in 2009 begins, the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance has named a new executive director.

Linda Kay Peterson has worked with the Summit Historical Society as a volunteer and tour coordinator and will continue to volunteer for the organization as secretary, while she takes on the lead of the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance. She's been working with the Alliance since its inception in February of 2007.

The Breckenridge Heritage Alliance promotes heritage tourism in the town through offering tours at and maintaining the local historic sites, along with events like Kingdom Days and outreach programs.

In the year ahead, Peterson said the organization is working with the Breckenridge Arts District to restore historic buildings into art workshop space, along with the National Repertory Orchestra to incorporate history into their concerts.

In the new year, she will oversee the renovation and maintenance of Breck historical sites, in particular the renovation of the Edwin Carter Museum.

"Edwin Carter was a preservationist and naturalist and was concerned about the environment," Peterson said. "That today is a high priority on everyone's list."

According to Breckenridge Heritage Alliance board president Rick Hague, the group was given more than $700,000 from the Town for these projects, which are associated with the 2009 celebration.

A big chunk, $450,000, will go toward the Carter Museum.

The newly renovated museum will still tell the story of the early prospector and miner turned naturalist, but in an interactive way.

"We want to get away from dusty, musty feely of a museum," Hague said.

According to Hague, former director Pat Christopherson resigned in mid-November.



Leslie Brefeld can be reached at (970) 668-4626 or atlbrefeld@summitdaily.com.