Community Raises Money to Save Historic Armenian House in Fresno

The Central Valley community came out to enjoy a memorable day at the Moordigian Open House, sponsored by the Armenian Cultural Conservancy of Fresno. The event on Saturday, November 8 served as a fundraiser for saving the historic Vartanian House and outbuildings.

The Open House raised over $3,500 dollars, all of which will go towards the relocation of the Vartanian house complex, slated for demolition, to a site in Armenian Town. Conservancy Chairman Van Der Mugrdechian added that “Our goal is to establish a permanent home for our Armenian Heritage Collections, a complication of legacy memorabilia of the Armenians of the Central Valley, one of the earliest Armenian immigrant communities in the United States.”

Attendees were welcomed into the 1947 historic home of Helen Moordigian, lovingly restored by Helen and her late husband Dudley, where they experienced a glimpse of the past through the unique collection of family history, artwork, and hobby displays. Docents provided informative background information about each of these areas.

After touring the house, attendees had the opportunity to mingle outdoors, sampling the delicious Armenian mezza, and enjoying the live sounds of Peter Dorian on the oud.

“What an amazing day”, said ACC Board member Mary Ekmalian, “Our heartfelt thanks to Helen for opening her doors and sharing her home, and to all those who helped make this a successful event.”

The Armenian Cultural Conservancy was established to collect, preserve, and promote the story of Armenians in the Central Valley of California. Their campaign to establish a permanent site is more than bricks and mortar — it is about creating a lasting center to preserve and celebrate 150 years of Western Armenian culture.

Visit the Armenian Cultural Conservancy website for more information and to support the project.