Teaching > RWU HP150 Historic Preservation > Assignments >

Boulder, Colorado. Above: 25th annversary of Pearl Street pedestrian mall.

History, and Future, of Historic Preservation—and the World

Get a sense of:

  1. the past fifty years of historic preservation (see 'Readings', below)
  2. to current events (see reading, below, and research on you own)
  3. your opinion on the future of historic preservation—and in general (more about other opinions on historic preservation later when Looking Forward)

Address

  1. What do you feel are the most urgent issues facing the world today?
    1. These are general issues and may, or may not, be specific to historic preservation.
  2. What is 'historic preservation'?
    1. Use a cited definition and/or write your own (citing various sources, as needed).
  3. What important resources/skills do preservationists contribute to helping address our urgent, global issues (as you have identified them)?
  4. What is the best way for preservationists to be an active player with allied professions, decision makers and the public.
  5. How do you plan on playing a role?

Details

  • Write a four-page (minimum) paper, 1-1/2 spaced.
    • In Word, filename <hp_501_01_11fa_a1_lastf.doc>.
    • Your writing should be formal.
  • Employ readings, below and others, to inform your essay and to reference.
    • I am most interested in your personal ideas backed up by reference to articles and other suporting material.
  • In addition to readings here, include at least three (3) articles you locate to inform your thoughts, our class discussion.
    • Email articles to me as PDF files with filename <author_date_title_source.pdf>) .
    • Sources may be the New York Times (and similar dailies), weekly magazines (such as The Economist), periodicals, peer-reviewed articles in journals (see RWU library).
    • Reference specific organizations and initiatives.
  • Define all terms.
  • Cite all sources.

Reading (suggested order)

Stipe, Robert E., 2003, ed. A Richer Heritage: Historic Preservation. Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press. 2003. Incomplete in google books

  • Preface
  • Prologue
  • Introduction
  • Chapter 1, Some preservation fundamentals.  
    • Emphasis on three concepts: federal system [federal-state-local system] ; preservation-conservation process; free-market economic system.
    • Note concept of 'old federalism' with 'new federalism' and its attention to 'general welfare'.

Katz, Ellis. American Federalism, Past, Present and Future, Issues of Democracy, USIA Electronic Journal, Vol. 2, No. 2, April 19.

Murtagh, William J., 2005. The preservation movement and the private citizen before world war II. In Keeping Time: The History and Theory of Preservation in America. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Chapter 2. Amazon provided

Extra reading

Wallace, Michael. "Reflections on the History of Historic Preservation" and notes in Presenting the Past: Essays on History and the Public. Benson, Susan Porter, et. al., eds. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. Incomplete in google books Need to re-scan article and footnotes.