History of historic preservation:
A national and global
perspective
Historical Museums and
Historic Preservation
Preservation Goals
• Commemoration - 1800s+
• Recordation - 1930s +
• Evaluation - 1970s +
• Protection
–
–
–
–
Acquisition
Deaccession
Adaptation
Conservation
Historical Museums and
Historic Preservation
Museum Goals
• Collection - 1800s - 1950s
• Description - 1950s - 1960s
• Analysis - 1970s - present
1786 - 1827
Peale Museum in
Philadelphia, opened by
Charles Willson Peale,
painter and collector
Collections include:
• Art
• Natural history
• American Indian
artifacts
• American history
exhibits
1813
• Philadelphia State
House
(Independence Hall)
saved from
demolition
1824
The Historical
Society of
Pennsylvania
founded in
Philadelphia
Library holdings
include:
• Genealogical
information
• Manuscripts
• Printed historical
information
1835
Eugène Viollet-leDuc appointed to
supervise the
restoration of the
basilica of St.
Madeleine in
Vézelay, France
1846
Smithsonian Institution
established as
national museum by
act of US Congress
• Main building, the
“Castle,” designed
by James Renwick,
finished in 1855
1853
Mount Vernon
Ladies'
Association formed
to save Mount
Vernon by Ann
Pamela
Cunningham and
volunteers
1872
Yellowstone
National Park
designated a
federally protected
area
1876
Centennial Exposition in
Philadelphia
• Celebrates 100
anniversary of US
• Introduces telephone,
telegraph, linoleum,
typewriter
• “New England Kitchen
of 1776” exhibit
New England Kitchen of 1776
1877
Society for the
Protection of
Ancient Buildings
founded by William
Morris and Philip
Webb in London,
England
Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings Manifesto,
1877.
"A society coming before the public with such a name as that
above written must needs explain how, and why, it proposes to
protect those ancient buildings which, to most people
doubtless, seem to have so many and such excellent
protectors. This, then, is the explanation we offer. No doubt
within the last fifty years a new interest, almost like another
sense, has arisen in these ancient monuments of art; and they
have become the subject of one of the most interesting of
studies, and of an enthusiasm, religious, historical, artistic,
which is one of the undoubted gains of our time; yet we think
that if the present treatment of them be continued, our
descendants will find them useless for study and chilling to
enthusiasm. We think that those last fifty years of knowledge
and attention have done more for their destruction than all the
foregoing centuries of revolution, violence and contempt…”
…It is for all these buildings, therefore, of all times and styles,
that we plead, and call upon those who have to deal with them,
to put Protection in the place of Restoration, to stave off decay
by daily care, to prop a perilous wall or mend a leaky roof by
such means as are obviously meant for support or covering,
and show no pretence of other art, and otherwise to resist all
tampering with either the fabric or ornament of the building as it
stands; if it has become inconvenient for its present use, to
raise another building rather than alter or enlarge the old one;
in fine to treat our ancient buildings as monuments of a bygone
art, created by bygone manners, that modern art cannot
meddle with without destroying. Thus, and thus only, shall we
escape the reproach of our learning being turned into a snare
to us; thus, and thus only can we protect our ancient buildings,
and hand them down instructive and venerable to those that
come after us.” Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings
Manifesto, 1877.
1879
• Boston Antiquarian Club
founded to save the Old
State House from being
moved to Chicago for
World's Fair
• Reorganized as
Bostonian Society in
1881 to operate
museum in Old State
House
1880
The Seven Lamps of
Architecture by
John Ruskin
published in London
• In the “Lamp of
Memory” he
advocated for
conservation instead
of restoration of old
buildings
John Ruskin, “The Lamp of Memory,” Seven
Lamps of Architecture, 1880.
Neither by the public, nor by those who have the care
of public monuments, is the true meaning of the word
restoration understood. It means the most total
destruction which a building can suffer: a destruction
out of which no remnants can be gathered: a
destruction accompanied with false description of the
thing destroyed. Do not let us deceive ourselves in
this important matter; it is impossible, as impossible
as to raise the dead, to restore anything that has
ever been great or beautiful in architecture.
1882
Ancient Monuments Act
enacted by UK
parliament.
• Provides for
government to have the
authority and funding
for maintaining
monuments, the
appointment of
monument inspectors, a
“schedule” list of
monuments and legal
penalties for persons
who deface monuments
1889
• First national
funding for historic
preservation in US
US Congress
appropriates $2,000
to preserve Casa
Grande ruin in
Arizona
1895
National Trust
founded in Great
Britain as a charity
to acquire and
protect threatened
coastline,
countryside and
buildings
1898
Fanueil Hall
(1762/1806) in
Boston, rebuilt to
make fireproof
1899
John Dewey in The
School and Society,
encourages teachers to
provide students with
direct experience of
history by visiting
historic places
• “The aim of education is
to enable individuals to
continue their
education.”
1901
William Sumner
Appleton founded
the Society for the
Preservation of New
England Antiquities
(SPNEA), now
known as Historic
New England
Appleton’s Five Principles
1. Proceed slowly and when in doubt, wait
2. Hire experienced professionals to do the
work
3. Document every stage, taking plenty of
pictures
4. Save samples of the originals as evidence
when anything must be replaced
5. Mark new work so that it cannot be later
confused with the original
1906
Antiquities Act
• first national
preservation legislation
in the US
• designated national
monuments on federal
land
• imposes penalties for
destroying federally
owned sites
1911
Parks Canada
founded
• world's first national
park service
• Currently an agency
in Environment
Canada
Parks Canada
• Mandate: On behalf of the
people of Canada, we
protect and present
nationally significant
examples of Canada's
natural and cultural heritage,
and foster public
understanding, appreciation
and enjoyment in ways that
ensure the ecological and
commemorative integrity of
these places for present and
future generations.
1913
Wallace Nutting (18611941) minister, photographer
and preservationist,
publishes Old New England
Pictures
• Over the next several years
he acquires and restores a
“Chain of Colonial Picture
Houses” which are open to
the public for a fee and serve
as backdrops for his
photographs
• 1918 - publishes first catalog
of reproduction furniture
• 1922 - publishes Beautiful
Vermont
Wallace Nutting
“The acquisition of old
paneling and its
installation in rooms
which perhaps never
had any, is legitimate. If
the dwelling is
substantial there is
nothing but praise in the
effort to give it good
dress.” 1936
1916
• National Park
Service established
in the US
1926
• John D. Rockefeller,
Jr. begins funding
support for the
restoration of
Williamsburg,
Virginia
Colonial Williamsburg
• Project lead by Rev. W.
A. R. Goodwin
• Buildings on the 130
acre site, “weeded” to
preserve 18th century
structures, with
important missing
buildings added as
replicas, including the
1770 Courthouse
recreated in 1932.
1927 - 1931
• Storrowton Village
erected at Eastern
States Exposition, West
Springfield, MA, as a
recreated antique
village using
disassembled buildings
from Massachusetts
and New Hampshire
• Named for Helen
Storrow, benefactor and
trustee of Eastern
States Exposition
1929
• Henry Ford establishes
Edison Institute,
renamed Greenfield
Village, in Dearborn,
Michigan with relocated
and replicated historic
buildings, including a
replica of Independence
Hall
1931
• Historic Maryland
founded in 1931 as the
Society for the
Preservation of
Maryland Antiquities.
Purpose: preserving
historic buildings,
neighborhoods,
landscapes and
archaeological sites
through outreach,
funding and
advocacy
1931
• Charleston, South
Carolina establishes
its "Old and Historic
District," the
country's first
designated historic
district
1931
• The Athens Charter for
the Restoration of
Historic Monuments
adopted at the First
International Congress
of Architects and
Technicians of Historic
Monuments in Athens,
Greece
At the Congress in Athens the following seven main resolutions were
made and called "Carta del Restauro":
1. International organizations for Restoration on operational and
advisory levels are to be established.
2. Proposed Restoration projects are to be subjected to
knowledgeable criticism to prevent mistakes which will cause loss of
character and historical values to the structures.
3. Problems of preservation of historic sites are to be solved by
legislation at national level for all countries.
4. Excavated sites which are not subject to immediate restoration
should be reburied for protection.
5. Modern techniques and materials may be used in restoration work.
6. Historical sites are to be given strict custodial protection.
7. Attention should be given to the protection of areas surrounding
historic sites.
1933
• Historic American
Buildings Survey
(HABS) authorized
by President
Franklin Roosevelt
1935
• Historic Sites Act
passed by US
Congress to establish
historic preservation
policy; it "established
policy ...to preserve for
public use historic sites,
buildings and objects of
national significance for
the inspiration and
benefit of the people of
the United States."
Historic Sites Act of 1935
[ PUBLIC– N o . 2 9 2 – 74TH CONGRESS]
[ S. 2 0 7 3 ]
AN ACT
To provide for the preservation of historic American sites,
buildings, objects, and antiquities of national significance,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America
in Congress assembled, That it is hereby declared that it is a
national policy to preserve for public use historic sites,
buildings and objects of national significance for the
inspiration and benefit of the people of the United States.
1936
• Vieux Carré
established as
historic district in
New Orleans,
Louisiana
1941
Lewis Mumford,
encourages architects
to seek a new direction
for the future within the
context of regionalism,
rather than just
reproducing historical
designs in The South in
Architecture.
Lewis Mumford
“Let us be clear about this, the forms that people used
in other civilizations or in other periods of our own
country’s history were intimately part of the whole
structure of their life. There is no method of
mechanically reproducing these forms or bringing
them back to life; it is a piece of rank materials to
attempt to duplicate some earlier form, because of its
delight to the eye, without realizing how empty a form
is without the life that once supported it. There is no
such thing as a modern colonial house any more than
there is such a thing as a modern Tudor house.
Lewis Mumford
“If one seeks to reproduce such a building in our own
day, every mark on it will betray the fact that it is a
fake, and the harder the architect works to conceal
that fact, the more patent the fact will be…The great
lesson of history–and this applies to all the arts–is that
the past cannot be captured except in spirit. We
cannot live another person’s life; we cannot, except in
the spirit of a costume ball… Our task is not to imitate
the past, but to understand it, so that we may face the
opportunity of our own day and deal with them in an
equally creative spirit.”
From The South in Architecture, 1941.
1946
Old Sturbridge Village in
Sturbridge, Massachusetts
opened to public
• Recreated village used to
display collection of antiques
with guides in period
costume
• Mixture of moved and
reassembled buildings and
recreated conjectural historic
buildings
1947
• Shelburne Museum in
Shelburne, Vermont,
founded by Electra
Havemeyer Webb,
collector of American
folk art.
• Of 39 exhibition
buildings, 25 are
historic. Most were
relocated to the site.
1949
National Trust for
Historic Preservation
established by an act of
the US Congress as
membership-based
organization partially
supported by federal
appropriation
• Headquartered in
Washington, D.C.
• Currently has 270,000
members, 6 regional
offices, 28 historic sites
1952
Historic Deerfield
incorporated by Mr.
& Mrs. Henry Flynt
of Greenwich, CT, to
preserve the historic
Deerfield, MA village
with some relocated
houses as a public
museum
Mission Statement
Historic Deerfield,
Incorporated, is dedicated
to the heritage and
preservation of Deerfield,
Massachusetts, and the
Connecticut River
Valley. Its museums and
programs provide today's
audiences with experiences
that create an
understanding and
appreciation of New
England's historic villages
and countryside.
1958
Upper Canada Village,
Morrisburg, Ontario,
established as a heritage
park as part of the St.
Lawrence Seaway project. It
depicts a historic village of
1866, using buildings
relocated from areas flooded
by the construction.
1963
• Destruction of
Pennsylvania
Station in New York
City mobilizes
preservation
movement in US
"Any city gets what it
admires, will pay for, and,
ultimately, deserves. Even
when we had Penn Station,
we couldn’t afford to keep it
clean. We want and deserve
tin-can architecture in a
tinhorn culture. And we will
probably be judged not by
the monuments we build but
by those we have destroyed.”
- "Farewell to Penn Station,"
New York Times editorial,
October 30, 1963
1964
• First university
degree in Historic
Preservation
established at
Columbia University
by James Marston
Fitch
1964
• International Charter on
the Conservation and
Restoration of
Monuments and Sites
(Venice Charter)
adopted by the Second
Congress of Architects
and Specialists of
Historic Buildings
Imbued with a message from the past, the
historic monuments of generations of people
remain to the present day as living witnesses of
their age-old traditions. People are becoming
more and more conscious of the unity of human
values and regard ancient monuments as a
common heritage. The common responsibility to
safeguard them for future generations is
recognized. It is our duty to hand them on in the
full richness of their authenticity.
Preamble, Venice Charter, 1964
1965
• International Council on
Monuments and Sites
(ICOMOS), an
international nongovernmental
organization of
professionals dedicated
to the conservation of
the world's historic
monuments and sites,
was established by
UNESCO
1966
•
•
•
•
National Historic
Preservation Act passed
by US Congress
established:
preservation roles for
federal, state and local
levels of government
the National Register of
Historic Places
the concept of historic
districts
the Advisory Council on
Historic Preservation
1967
Civil Amenities Act passed in England
• Provides for local authorities to designate conservation areas
• Extends concept of heritage conservation to move beyond
preservation (i.e. protection) to the management of change (i.e.
enhancement)
• Currently over 8,000 conservation areas and 500,000 heritage
buildings are listed in England
• Application, review and approval from local authorities required
for:
– Demolitions
– Minor developments and exterior alterations
– Tree cutting or lopping
1968
• Association for
Preservation
Technology (APT) was
founded by US and
Canadian
preservationists.
Operating in English
and in French, it grows
to 1500 members from
19 countries by 1998.
1972
• Convention Concerning
the Protection of World
Cultural and Natural
Heritage, adopted by
the General Conference
of UNESCO,
establishing the World
Heritage Site program
1973
• Heritage Canada
Foundation started
as a registered
charity and
membership-based
organization
Heritage Canada
Mandate
"...preserve and demonstrate and to encourage
the preservation and demonstration of the
nationally significant historic, architectural,
natural and scenic heritage of Canada with a
view to stimulating and promoting the interest of
the people of Canada in that heritage."
1976
US Bicentennial
• Major patriotic
cultural event
celebrated at
national and local
levels
1977
Main Street Project
launched by National
Trust for Historic
Preservation to help
advocate for downtown
revitalization
• National Main Street
Center established in
1980 with financial
support from various
federal agencies
• Evolves into a feebased consulting
service
1978
• US Congress passes
Revenue Act that
established investment
tax credits for
rehabilitation of historic
buildings
• Revised in 1986
• Certification regulations
codified in 36 CFR 67
1978
• The Secretary of the
Interior's Standards for
Historic Preservation
Projects developed by
the National Park
Service and codified in
the Code of Federal
Regulations 36 CFR 68
• Revised in 1983
1979
• National Council for
Preservation
Education (NCPE)
established
1982
CHARTER FOR THE
PRESERVATION OF
QUEBEC'S HERITAGE
(Deschambault
Declaration)
• Adopted by the Conseil
des monuments et des
sites du Québec,
ICOMOS Canada
French-Speaking
Committee, April 1982
Deschambault Declaration
• DEFINITION OF HERITAGE AND PRESERVATION
• Heritage is defined as "the combined creations and
products of nature and man, in their entirety, that make
up the environment in which we live in space and
time.Heritage is a reality, a possession of the
community, and a rich inheritance that may be passed
on, which invites our recognition and our
participation."(Quebec Association for the Interpretation
of the National Heritage, Committee on Terminology,
July 1980).
Deschambault Declaration
Article VIII THE REVIVAL OF OUR HERITAGE MUST BE
COMPATIBLE WITH THE MAINTENANCE, AND EVEN
THE IMPROVEMENT, OF ITS SPECIFIC IDENTITY,
INTEGRITY AND CULTURAL VALUES
Article VIII-B We must promote the continuous use of our
heritage, without any interruption of occupation.
Article VIII-C Whenever we decide to make new use of
heritage material, we must ensure the preservation of all
the important characteristics of that material.Any changes
that are made must, at all times, be reversible.
Article VIII-D The selection of a new function for heritage
material must avoid excessive use and the deterioration
that would result from such use.
Deschambault Declaration
Article IX THE PRESERVATION OF THE DYNAMIC AND
FUNCTIONAL CHARACTER OF OUR HERITAGE IS
ENSURED BY LOCAL RESIDENTS WHO ARE AN
INTEGRAL PART OF THAT HERITAGE AND
CONTRIBUTE TO ITS PROTECTION AND ITS VITALITY
Article IX-A In using our heritage, we must preserve or
reintroduce everyday life rather than the artificial life of
museums and tourist centres. Preference should be given
to traditional occupations; and we must, in any case,
respect the needs and legitimate aspirations of the
inhabitants, even if this requires us to adopt uses that are
different from the original uses.
Deschambault Declaration
Article IX THE PRESERVATION OF THE DYNAMIC AND
FUNCTIONAL CHARACTER OF OUR HERITAGE IS
ENSURED BY LOCAL RESIDENTS WHO ARE AN
INTEGRAL PART OF THAT HERITAGE AND
CONTRIBUTE TO ITS PROTECTION AND ITS VITALITY
Article IX-B In other words, it is necessary to
encourage respect for the established rights of the
local population. The housing function should take
precedence over all other uses and be given first
priority.
Deschambault Declaration
Article X OUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS MUST
PROMOTE THE IDEA THAT EVERYONE HAS TO TAKE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR PRESERVING THE NATIONAL
HERITAGE
Article X-A Our educational system must disseminate
knowledge pertaining to our heritage, to make people
aware of its value and of the need to preserve it.
Article X-B The educational system must ensure that
traditions are passed on, and thereby encourage the
training of artisans, technicians and professionals who will
be able to work to safeguard our heritage.
Deschambault Declaration
Article X OUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS MUST
PROMOTE THE IDEA THAT EVERYONE HAS TO TAKE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR PRESERVING THE NATIONAL
HERITAGE
Article X-C Other educational authorities (the
family, newspapers and magazines, radio and TV,
etc.) must also do their part in furthering heritage
education. In particular, heritage practitioners and
specialists increase awareness through the
communication of their knowledge to the general
public.
1983
• English Heritage
established under
National Heritage Act.
Officially known as the
Historic Buildings and
Monuments
Commission for
England, it is the
statutory adviser to the
government on the
historic environment.
English Heritage
Partially funded by government and partially from
revenues from its properties and services, English
Heritage works in partnership with the central
government departments, local authorities, voluntary
bodies and the private sector to:
•Conserve and enhance the historic environment
•Broaden public access to the heritage
•Increase people's understanding of the past
English Heritage
Meets those responsibilities by:
•acting as a national and international champion for the heritage
•giving grants for the conservation of historic buildings,
monuments and landscapes
•maintaining registers of England's most significant historic
buildings, monuments and landscapes
•advising on the preservation of the historic environment
•encouraging broader public involvement with the heritage
•promoting education and research
•caring for Stonehenge and over 400 other historic properties on
behalf of the nation
•maintaining the National Monuments Record as the public
archive of the heritage
•generating income for the benefit of the historic environment
1984
•
•
•
•
Statue of Liberty
restoration begins
Listed on World
Heritage site
$62 million federal
project with substantial
private fund raising
American Express
promotion raises $1.7
million
Reopened to public in
1986
1988
11 Most Endangered
Places annual list
launched by National
Trust for Historic
Preservation
• Soon many statewide
and local preservation
organizations develop
similar lists to drawn
public attention to
preservation threats
• Entire state of Vermont
listed in 1993 and 2004
1990
Town & Country Planning Act and the Planning
(Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act
enacted in England & Wales
• Listed buildings designated if of national importance
• Consent required for demolitions and alterations of listed
buildings from local authority's planning department
• Reviewed by planning or conservation officer (and occasionally
by English Heritage)
• Local authorities can designate conservation areas of 'special
architectural or historic interest' worth protecting or enhancing
with character or appearance assessed according to local and
regional criteria
• Demolitions and alterations to buildings in conservation area
require local consent
• Violations considered criminal offences
1991
• New Orleans Charter
drafted jointly by
members of The
Association for
Preservation
Technology
International (APT) and
American Institute for
Conservation of Historic
and Artistic Works (AIC)
New Orleans Charter
Arising from a concern for the coexistence of historic structures and
the artifacts housed within them;
Recognizing our responsibility as stewards to provide the highest
levels of care for the structures and other artifacts placed in our
care;
Recognizing that many significant structures are used to house,
display and interpret artifacts;
Recognizing that historic structures and the contents placed within
them deserve equal consideration in planning for their care;
Recognizing that technologies and approaches will continue to
change;
and Recognizing that those involved in preservation are part of a
continuum, and are neither the first nor the last to affect the
preservation of historic structures and artifacts;
We, therefore, adopt these principles as governing the preservation
of historic structures and the artifacts housed in them:
1.Institutions' statements of mission should recognize the need to
preserve the unique character of both the historic structure and
artifacts.
2.The preservation needs of the historic structure and of the
artifacts should be defined only after study adequate to serve as the
foundation for the preservation of both.
3.Requisite levels of care should be established through the
interdisciplinary collaboration of all qualified professionals with
potential to contribute.
4.Appropriate preservation must reflect application of recognized
preservation practices, including assessment of risk before and after
intervention, and the expectation of future intervention.
5.Measures which promote the preservation of either the historic
structure or the artifacts, at the expense of the other, should not be
considered.
6.Regarding public use, the right of future generations to access
and enjoyment must outweigh immediate needs.
7.Appropriate preservation strategies should be guided by the
specific needs and characteristics of the historic structure and
artifacts.
8.Appropriate documentation of all stages of a project is essential,
and should be readily accessible and preserved for the future.
9.The most appropriate action in a particular case is one which
attains the desired goal with the least intervention to the historic
structure and the artifacts.
10.Proposed preservation strategies should be appropriate to the
ability of the institution to implement and maintain them.
1995
• The Secretary of the
Interior's Standards for
Historic Preservation
Projects were revised
as the Secretary of the
Interior's Standards
for the Treatment of
Historic Properties
and codified in the
Code of Federal
Regulations 36 CFR 68
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS
TITLE 36--PARKS, FORESTS, AND PUBLIC PROPERTY CHAPTER INATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
PART 68--THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR'S STANDARDS FOR
THE TREATMENT OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES
• s68.1 Intent The intent of this part is to set forth standards
for the treatment of historic properties, preservation,
containing standards for preservation, rehabilitation,
restoration, and reconstruction. These standards apply to
all proposed grant-in-aid development projects assisted
through the National Historic Preservation Fund.
s68.2 Definitions The standards for the treatment of
historic properties will be used by the National Park Service
and State historic preservation officers and their staff
members in planning, undertaking, and supervising grantassisted projects for preservation, rehabilitation, restoration,
and reconstruction.
• For the purposes of this part:
(a) Preservation means the act or process of applying
measures necessary to sustain the existing form, integrity, and
materials of an historic property. Work, including preliminary
measures to protect and stabilize the property, generally
focuses upon the ongoing maintenance and repair of historic
materials and features rather than extensive replacement and
new construction. New exterior additions are not within the
scope of this treatment; however, the limited and sensitive
upgrading of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and
other code-required work to make properties functional is
appropriate within a preservation project.
(b) Rehabilitation means the act or process of making possible
an efficient compatible use for a property through repair,
alterations, and additions while preserving those portions or
features which convey its historical, cultural, or architectural
values.
(c) Restoration means the act or process of accurately
depicting the form, features, and character of a property as it
appeared at a particular period of time by means of the removal
of features from other periods in its history and reconstruction
of missing features from the restoration period. The limited and
sensitive upgrading of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing
systems and other code-required work to make properties
functional is appropriate within a restoration project.
(d) Reconstruction means the act of process of depicting, by
means of new construction, the form, features, and detailing of
a non-surviving site, landscape, building, structure, or object for
the purpose of replicating its appearance at a specific period of
time and in its historic location.
• s68.3 Standards. The set of standards--preservation,
rehabilitation, restoration, or reconstruction--will apply
to a property undergoing treatment, depending upon
the property's significance, existing physical condition,
the extent of documentation available, and interpretive
goals, when applicable. The Standards will be applied
taking into consideration the economic and technical
feasibility of each project.
(a) Preservation.
(1) A property will be used as it was historically, or be given a
new use that maximizes the retention of distinctive materials,
features, spaces, and spatial relationships. Where a treatment
and use have not been identified, a property will be protected
and, if necessary, stabilized until additional work may be
undertaken.
(2) The historic character of a property will be retained and
preserved. The replacement of intact or repairable historic
materials or alteration of features, spaces, and spatial
relationships that characterize a property will be avoided.
(3) Each property will be recognized as a physical record of its
time, place, and use. Work needed to stabilize, consolidate,
and conserve existing historic materials and features will be
physically and visually compatible, identifiable upon close
inspection, and properly documented for future research.
(4) Changes to a property that have acquired historic
significance in their own right will be retained and preserved.
(5) Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction
techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a
property will be preserved.
(6) The existing condition of historic features will be evaluated
to determine the appropriate level of intervention needed.
Where the severity of deterioration requires repair or limited
replacement of a distinctive feature, the new material will
match the old in composition, design, color, and texture.
(7) Chemical or physical treatments, if appropriate, will be
undertaken using the gentlest means possible. Treatments that
cause damage to historic materials will not be used.
(8) Archeological resources will be protected and preserved in
place. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation
measures will be undertaken.
(b) Rehabilitation.
(1) A property will be used as it was historically or be given a
new use that requires minimal change to its distinctive
materials, features, spaces, and spatial relationships.
(2) The historic character of a property will be retained and
preserved. The removal of distinctive materials or alteration of
features, spaces, and spatial relationships that characterize a
property will be avoided.
(3) Each property will be recognized as a physical record of its
time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of
historical development, such as adding conjectural features or
elements from other historic properties, will not be undertaken.
(4) Changes to a property that have acquired historic
significance in their own right will be retained and preserved.
(5) Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction
techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a
property will be preserved.
(6) Deteriorated historic features will be repaired rather than replaced.
Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive
feature, the new feature will match the old in design, color, texture, and,
where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features will be
substantiated by documentary and physical evidence.
(7) Chemical or physical treatments, if appropriate, will be undertaken using
the gentlest means possible. Treatments that cause damage to historic
materials will not be used.
(8) Archeological resources will be protected and preserved in place. If
such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures will be undertaken.
(9) New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction will not
destroy historic materials, features, and spatial relationships that
characterize the property. The new work will be differentiated from the old
and will be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale and
proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the property and its
environment.
(10) New additions and adjacent or related new construction will be
undertaken in a such a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential
form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be
unimpaired
(c) Restoration.
(1) A property will be used as it was historically or be given a
new use which reflects the property's restoration period.
(2) Materials and features from the restoration period will be
retained and preserved. The removal of materials or alteration
of features, spaces, and spatial relationships that characterize
the period will not be undertaken.
(3) Each property will be recognized as a physical record of its
time, place, and use. Work needed to stabilize, consolidate
and conserve materials and features from the restoration
period will be physically and visually compatible, identifiable
upon close inspection, and properly documented for future
research.
(4) Materials, features, spaces, and finishes that characterize
other historical periods will be documented prior to their
alteration or removal.
(5) Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction
techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize the
restoration period will be preserved.
(6) Deteriorated features from the restoration period will be
repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of
deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the
new feature will match the old in design, color, texture, and,
where possible, materials.
(7) Replacement of missing features from the restoration
period will be substantiated by documentary and physical
evidence. A false sense of history will not be created by adding
conjectural features, features from other properties, or by
combining features that never existed together historically.
(8) Chemical or physical treatments, if appropriate, will be
undertaken using the gentlest means possible. Treatments that
cause damage to historic materials will not be used.
(9) Archeological resources affected by a project will be
protected and preserved in place. If such resources must be
disturbed, mitigation measures will be undertaken.
(10) Designs that were never executed historically will not be
constructed.
(d). Reconstruction.
(1) Reconstruction will be used to depict vanished or nonsurviving portions of a property when documentary and
physical evidence is available to permit accurate
reconstruction with minimal conjecture, and such
reconstruction is essential to the public understanding of the
property.
(2) Reconstruction of a landscape, building, structure, or object
in its historic location will be preceded by a thorough
archeological investigation to identify and evaluate those
features and artifacts which are essential to an accurate
reconstruction. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation
measures will be undertaken.
(3) Reconstruction will include measures to preserve any
remaining historic materials, features, and spatial
relationships.
(4) Reconstruction will be based on the accurate
duplication of historic features and elements
substantiated by documentary or physical evidence
rather than on conjectural designs or the availability
of different features from other historic properties. A
reconstructed property will re-create the appearance
of the non-surviving historic property in materials,
design, color, and texture.
(5) A reconstruction will be clearly identified as a
contemporary re-creation.
(6) Designs that were never executed historically will
not be constructed.
1995
Preserving The
Recent Past
conference held in
Chicago
• Sponsored by the
National Park Service,
the Association for
Preservation
Technology
International and others
• Follow-up conference
in 2000 in
Philadelphia
1995
National Trust for
Historic Preservation
ceases publication of
Preservation News,
which since 1961 had
served as the official
journal to "keep
members and the public
informed about
preservation issues and
activities"
1998
Termination of
federal appropriation
for support of
National Trust for
Historic
Preservation
1999
Burra Charter adopted
by Australia ICOMOS
• The Burra Charter
advocates a cautious
approach to change: do
as much as necessary
to care for the place
and to make it useable,
but otherwise change it
as little as possible so
that its cultural
significance is retained.
Burra Charter
Conservation Principles
Article 2
Conservation and management
2.1 Places of cultural significance should be
conserved.
2.2 The aim of conservation is to retain the cultural
significance of a place.
2.3 Conservation is an integral part of good
management of places of cultural significance.
2.4 Places of cultural significance should be
safeguarded and not put at risk or left in a vulnerable
state.
Burra Charter
Conservation Principles
Article 3
Cautious approach
3.1Conservation is based on a respect for the existing
fabric, use, associations and meanings. It requires a
cautious approach of changing as much as necessary
but as little as possible.The traces of additions,
alterations and earlier treatments to the fabric of a
place are evidence of its history and uses which may
be part of its significance. Conservation action should
assist and not impede their understanding.
3.2 Changes to a place should not distort the physical
or other evidence it provides, nor be based on
conjecture.
2005
• 1897 Century Building
in St. Louis, MO
demolished despite
local and national
preservation efforts
• National Trust for
Historic Preservation
criticized for supporting
demolition while
profiting from project
When Preservation Equals Demolition
By BRADFORD McKEE New York Times, March 31, 2005
St. Louis. FOR 108 years the neo-Classical style Century
Building, with its 10-story marble facades accented by ornate
friezes and pilasters, graced half a block in downtown St.
Louis.But after 15 years of fighting by local preservationists it was
razed in February to make way for a garage.The battle for the
Century, with its familiar plot and cast of characters preservationists squaring off against developers and politicians resembled a typical preservation dispute. Yet it had an unusual
twist: for the first time anyone involved can remember, the
National Trust for Historic Preservation, the country's most
powerful preservation group, sided with the wreckers. In fact the
redevelopment project that led to the Century's demise was
financed with the national trust's help.Although the circumstances
surrounding the Century are unusual, critics say the national trust,
a private nonprofit organization with more than 200,000 members,
has set a dangerous precedent.
“When Preservation Equals Demolition”
For Carolyn Hewes Toft, the president of the Landmarks Association of St.
Louis, which has become an improbable adversary of the trust, its position was
a violation of its mission to preserve historic structures. Ms. Toft suggested that
the national trust had lost its integrity and said that of all the demolitions she
had witnessed, "this loss is by far the most difficult to accept.”
Officials at the national trust said that its part in the demolition reflects the
changing role of preservation, which they said includes fighting urban sprawl
and reviving entire downtown areas, as well as saving historic buildings and
sites. Increasingly, the national trust is "using preservation as a tool for
community revitalization," said Richard Moe, its president. Sacrificing the
Century, he added, was in line with the trust's efforts to broker the renewal of
historic but rundown neighborhoods like downtown St. Louis, even at the
occasional expense of a treasured building.
But for many preservationists, like Michael Tomlan, the director of the graduate
program in historic preservation at Cornell University, that price is too high.
What the national trust did, Mr. Tomlan said, was wrong. "It's morally and in any
number of senses ethically inappropriate. It violates preservation's Hippocratic
oath: if you can't be supportive, for gosh sakes shut up."
2006
• English Heritage
introduces
Conservation
Principles for the
Sustainable
Management of the
Historic
Environment
Conservation Principles for the Sustainable
Management of the Historic Environment
2007-2008
• National Trust for
Historic
Preservation
addresses
sustainability
2007-2008
• National Trust for
Historic
Preservation
addresses
sustainability
2007-2008
• National Trust for
Historic
Preservation
addresses
sustainability