Mr. Concannon
Humanities 7
What is Historic Preservation?
In a nutshell, Historic Preservation is a “tool” (actually a series of laws) that recognizes and protects
places that tell the stories of the past. It serves to protect tangible evidence of our past.
HP enhances our sense of community and brings us closer together: saving and preserving the
stories of ancient cultures found in landmarks and landscapes we visit – protecting the memories of
people, places, and events honored in our national monuments. It also allows us to have tangible
reminders of our cultural heritage.
Historic preservation is also about getting involved in saving these monuments, landscapes, and
neighborhoods. It doesn’t have to be complicated – it can be fun! For example, have you ever...
 Taken a house museum tour?
 Shopped in local stores on a Main Street?
 Volunteered at a historic site or community event?
 Stopped to appreciate great architecture?
 Detoured from the highway to follow the historic site markers?
If you have, then you've been part of preservation. Also, there are many ways you can get involved
in historic preservation and save places that matter in your life. The important part is that you
recognize the places that are meaningful to you, and to our nation’s heritage, and that they deserve
to be around for future generations.
In Boston there are local historical societies such as The South End Historical Society, and the Back
Bay Architectural Commission. There are independent organizations such as The Boston
Preservation Alliance, Historic Boston, and the Bostonian Society. On the local level there is also
Boston Landmarks Commission, which reports to the Mayor, and at State level it is The
Massachusetts Historic Commission.
Historic Preservation comes about with the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act of
1966 which provides Federal, State and local laws to protect historic sites.
NHPA comes about because of the demolition of New York’s Penn Station in 1963. Public outcry
against demolition was strong, but at that time wide spread preservation laws did not exist to
protect Penn Station.
Penn Station was designed by the architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White and when completed
it was one of the largest buildings in the world!
***McKim, Mead and White are the same architects who designed Boston’s Public Library at
Copley! ***
Built in 1910 it was an engineering marvel of its day…similar to the Big Dig but it was demolished
in 1963 and was ONLY 53 years old.
Its design was inspired by The Baths of Caracalla (Italian: Terme di Caracalla) in Rome, Italy,
were the second largest Roman public baths, or thermae, built in Rome between AD 212 and 217,
during the reign of the Septimius and Emperor Caracalla
1895 Drawing of what the Baths at Caracalla
looked like according to measured drawings
of the ruins
Passage of National Preservation law
results in the National Register of Historic
Places
The National Register of Historic Places is
the official list of the Nation's historic places
worthy of preservation. Authorized by the
National Historic Preservation Act of 1966,
the National Park Service's National Register
of Historic Places is part of a national
program to coordinate and support public and
private efforts to identify, evaluate, and
protect America's historic and archeological
resources.








A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is higher designation and protects
a building, site, structure, or object that is officially recognized by the United States
government for its outstanding degree of historical significance
Sites where events of national historical significance occurred
Places where prominent persons lived or worked; and tells the story of an individual who played
a significant role in the history of the United States.
Stories of nationally important historic events, places or persons are recognized and preserved
for the benefit of all citizens
Outstanding examples of architectural design, style and method of construction.
Places characterizing a way of life
The location is associated with a turning point in American history
Yields information about the past through archaeology
A historic district:
A group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by local law as historically or
architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district may be
protected within a historic district such as Boston’s South End, Beacon Hill and Back Bay. An
example would be Trinity Church by H. H. Richardson, which is within a historic district, but is
also protected as a National Historic Landmark.
The U.S. federal government designates historic districts, national registered properties through
the U.S. Department of Interior, under the auspices of the National Park Service. Federally
designated historic districts are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.