Where do I begin if I want a career in historic restoration?

Question

And... what is the difference between historic restoration and historic preservation?

Answer 1

Historic restoration restores the building to pristine condition, perhaps utilizing modern techniques to help it.

Historic preservation hold the line against time, keeping the building in an arrested state (like the Winchester Mystery House)

Answer 2

If you're talking historic restoration of buildings, I'd start with getting a job in construction. You will need to know how to build something if you're going to want to restore it. Then start poking around all the old buildings you can find, and study how they are put together, the materials used, how colors, designs, etc compare to modern materials, etc. Look at the fine details, from wallpaper to the hinges on the door to the type of joints used in the trim. If you want to do an authentic restoration, you'll need to know how it was done originally.

Preservation means to keep something in the state that it is in now, so that no further damage or deterioration occurs.

Restoration means to change it so that the object, building, etc, is restored to the original condition. That might mean taking off later additions, or finding original or period pieces, etc to put back in place of missing pieces or components.