MCLEAN, Va. - Today, in honor of International Museum Day and National Preservation Month, local Hampton hotel volunteers will plant themselves at the historic Wheeler Farm in Salt Lake City, Utah for a day of refurbishment as a part of Hampton Hotels' Save-A-Landmark program. Wheeler Farm is a real depiction of American farm life during the 1890s-1920s which educates school groups and other visitors on the significance of the Progressive Era in American history.

More than a dozen Hampton volunteers will work side by side with Wheeler Farm staff members to help preserve the original image of the historic farmhouse and other areas around the farm. The focus of the day will be to restore a former Wheeler Farm exhibit that has for years been closed to the public. Specialists will also provide a fresh coat of paint to give the nineteenth century farmhouse a much needed facelift just in time for Wheeler Farm's summer programs. In all, Hampton Hotels donated $10,000 in support of the day's projects and to aid in future refurbishment efforts.

"Hampton is thrilled to kick-off our 10th year of Save-A-Landmark in Utah at the Wheeler Historic Farm," said Judy Christa-Cathey, vice president of global brand marketing for Hampton Hotels. " Farming in the late 1800s until the early 1900s helped to sustain our country's economy, and it was the way of life for a significant amount of American families. It's humbling to go back in time and see where our roots lay."

Wheeler Farm's story began in 1886 when Sariah Hankinson Pixton married Henry Joseph Wheeler. The two raised six children there, all of whom shared the responsibility of the family farm. In 1969, Salt Lake County bought the 75-acre farm and by 1976, it was placed on the Utah State and National Registers of Historic Places. Shortly after, Wheeler Farm went through a series of restorations to create a turn-of-the-century farm museum that would illustrate family farm life in Utah during the Progressive Era. Today, Wheeler Farm takes visitors back in time to the best methods of Progressive Era farming. At the farm museum, visitors will find small gardens, orchards, a pumpkin patch and corn patch among other hands-on exhibits about life during the 1890s-1920s.

Wheeler Historic Farm is the first landmark to be restored in 2010 as a part of the "All-American Landmarks" campaign and the 51st landmark to be refurbished by the program. Each of the sites chosen this year as " All-American Landmarks" is a reflection of the individual personalities of the states and their residents and signifies defining moments in our nation's past, such as Wheeler Farm. The public voted online and five landmarks were chosen to be restored this year in Arkansas, Nebraska, Utah, Vermont and Washington, D.C. Sites are chosen after extensively researching refurbishment need and availability of Hampton volunteers. To nominate a landmark, go to http://www.hamptonlandmarks.com/.

Next, the Save-A-Landmark program will travel to the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, Neb.; St. Johnsbury Athenaeum in St. Johnsbury, Vt.; Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark.; and President Lincoln's Cottage in Washington, D.C. Every landmark holds a significant piece of American history that can be preserved for future generations.

This year also marks the 10th anniversary of Hampton Hotels' Save-A-Landmark program. During the past decade, the program has helped research landmarks in need, promoted landmark sites and their importance, facilitated tens of thousands of volunteer hours, donated several tons of supplies and worked with matching grants - all at an investment of more than $2.5 million. Uniting its hotels together in the communities they serve, Hampton employee-volunteers work hand-in-hand on the landmarks while Hampton provides the financial support to refurbish selected sites. The Save-A-Landmark program has already successfully refurbished a landmark in 41 states in the U.S., as well as sites in Canada and Mexico. 

Contact:
Charmaine Easie-Samuels
Hampton Public Relations
(901) 374-6462
Charmaine.Easie-Samuels@hilton.com

Sheryl Shelton
Hampton Public Relations
(901) 374-6383
Sheryl.Shelton@hilton.com

About Hampton Hotels The Hampton Hotels brand, including Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites and Hampton by Hilton, is an award-winning leader in the mid-priced hotel segment, serving value-conscious and quality-driven travelers. With over 1,900 properties totaling more than 186,000 rooms in 13 countries and territories, Hampton Hotels is part of Hilton Worldwide, a leading global hospitality company. All Hampton hotels offer comfortable surroundings and a friendly service culture, defined as "Hamptonality," delivered by over 50,000 Team Members and supported by the 100% Hampton Guarantee®, reinforcing its commitment to providing excellent service to both business and leisure travelers alike. High-quality and consistent accommodations and amenities, such as free Wi-Fi and free hot breakfast, and the latest technology and innovations, such as multi-unit Power Cubes and the brand’s signature Clean and Fresh Hampton Bed®, combined with numerous locations globally have made Hampton a leader in its segment and one of the fastest growing hotel brands worldwide. Please visit www.hampton.com, http://news.hampton.com or www.hamptonoffers.com for more information and connect with Hampton Hotels online at www.faceboook.com/Hampton, http://twitter.com/Hampton or www.youtube.com/Hampton.

About Hilton Worldwide Hilton Worldwide is a leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 93 years, Hilton Worldwide has offered business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,900 hotels and timeshare properties, with 650,000 rooms in 90 countries and territories and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®. Visit www.hiltonworldwide.com for more information and connect with Hilton Worldwide at www.facebook.com/hiltonworldwide, www.twitter.com/hiltonworldwide, www.youtube.com/hiltonworldwide, www.flickr.com/hiltonworldwide and www.linkedin.com/company/hilton-worldwide.