Category: Reading Reflections

The readings this week covered a lot of ground.  The field of historic preservation is vast and complicated.  If I learned anything, I learned that there are as many different ideas of what and how history should be preserved as there is actual building that should be preserved.  One of the things that I found most interesting is the argument on when a building becomes historical.  The McDonalds building in DowneyCalifornia is a prime example.  It is both a piece of architectural history and a cultural monument.  It represents a style that should be preserved and a piece of Americana.  Who would we be without Big Macs and the Ronald McDonald?  This building is the perfect representation of that because it is so stylistically 1950s.  I also enjoyed reading about Rehabilitation preservation, also known as adaptive use (197).  Buildings can’t sit empty.  When they do, they tend to fall into disrepair.  To maintain their viability they need to be used.  It also becomes dangerous if a block of prime real estate is taken up by a building that has no discernable use.  Profit seekers tend to start salivating when that happens.  Sometimes the original purpose of a building no longer exists and if it to remain a part of the community, it must have a new life.  Turing an old Mill into a museum is an example of adaptive use.  Turning old warehouses into lofts is another example.  In this way the past is recognized and preserved yet the building does not sit idle.  Who knows, in another 100 years, today’s loft apartments might turn into shops.

I love the idea of the experience economy.  People want the experience of stepping into the past and by using that desire coupled with a historic area, cities can be both profitable and historically preserved.  By involving people in the idea of a historic building or district a link is created.  People are much more likely to fight against development when they have an attachment to something.  The Boise Egyptian Theatre is the perfect example of this.  It brings in smaller venue events and created an intimate atmosphere in a restored theatre.  It is a public site where people can gather and be entertained in a historic and intimate venue.  If anyone threatened the Egyptian with destruction today they would have quite a fight on their hands because the people of Boise are involved with the history of the building.

Reading the chapters for this week showed me how much goes into historic preservation. Having no real background in it, I was amazed at how much goes into it, and how many different styles of it exist. Chapter seven gave a brief overview of the many styles of preservation. One thing mentioned in chapter seven that I important was “A guiding principle of good restoration practice is that an original element, even if in poor condition, is preferable to a replicated element (195). And a few lines later, the author took issue with Viollet-le-Duc’s interpretation that historic works should look how they were designed to be, which is confusing in itself. How many historic buildings that we take for granted as historic were altered to fit the designer’s assumption of what it should have been? There are a lot of recreated historic buildings in this country, how do we know if they are supposed to look that way or not? Examples spring to mind like Williamsburg and Jamestown. Sometimes the ruins are as important as the recreations. If Troy was reconstructed, or Knossos on Crete, would that really benefit more than the ruins? Although they are ruins, they are the original ruins. Should the Colosseum be renovated? I don’t believe so because you are taking away the originality of the building when you do that. If the Colosseum was rebuilt, it would not have been built in 80 CE, but in 2013. I think that is important to consider before jumping to the conclusion that we need a perfect visual of what the town, or building, looked like instead of the original foundations or ruins.

 

Another chapter that interested me was the chapter on historic significance, chapter five. The author proposed that McDonald’s is a historic building, and was added to the National Register (142). At first I was a little perplexed why McDonald’s of all places was historically significant. It’s one of many fast food restaurants in the country. Will Wal Mart and Best Buy become historic buildings on the National Register as well? I certainly hope not. However, I realized it represented something about life in 20th century America. Not only is McDonald’s popular, but it has become a part of our culture being one of the first fast food chains in America. Fast food, regardless of what one feels about it, is an important part of American culture. It represents the fast pace many of us live, and therefore is historically significant, for a positive or negative reason. Although I still find it odd to put it on the list, I understand in a way why it was added.

The section that stuck out to me concerned communities selling their cities as a ‘special experience’ or ‘experience economy”(283).  This is something that I’ve actually really been thinking about for Boise recently. Having lived in the Treasure Valley for more or less 6 years now, I think it is a shame that Boise hasn’t taken advantage of this idea. The city calls it downtown area “BoDo” but then does no marketing within the area about it. In class on Thursday Dr. Bieter told us there were little historical looking glasses in a few spots downtown and I was genuinely shocked. Boise not only needs to stop selling itself short and start marketing itself, but the local historical community needs to wake up and do the same. The historical museum has a horrible marketing program, I didn’t even know there was a Black History Museum in the area, and the lack of local marketing almost gives me the impression that Boise people are ashamed of their own history. This area is rich with culture, heritage, and history but no one really talks about it.

The focus of the section on this experience economy is the community that needs to sell itself to tourists. I think, however, that a city needs to sell itself to its own citizens first. If a tourist asks a local Boise man or woman about the local museums and the only thing they can think of is the Basque museum or the old houses on the North End then that is a failure of the local historical community. The authors should have focused on the sad reality of poor self-marketing of historical communities as much as it did the minute details they went into describing historical preservation and cement. There is a hole in their argument that they don’t cover the sad realities along with the ‘successes’ like Pike Street in Seattle. I think we would have been well served to learn about where it didn’t work just as much as where it did.

When walking downtown wondering where the older buildings have gone, like Fosters Warehouse Furniture, the older restaurants and shops, it seems that Boise has suffered from what other cities have suffered from.  It seems that either these buildings were not good enough to keep and needed to be torn down because of this new, invigorating term called progress. BODO (Boise Downtown) is the area where these older buildings were and is trying for the upscale, chic look that other cities have and that Boise is trying to emulate.

I look at the examples in the book, like Pikes Place and Pioneer Square in Seattle, Lower Downtown (Lodo) in Denver, and the renovation of St. Louis Union Square Station and Pittsburgh’s Station Square are excellent examples of cities looking at existing structures and using the character and flavor to renovate and attempt to preserve these prestigious buildings and their place in history.  Boise has tried to make what seems a token gesture at restoration and preservation, but our fair city seems to be getting better at attempting to work at doing better in preserving its past.  Boise has its own historical street program like the one mentioned in Chapter 11, on Pg. 324.  On Grove Street there is a narrative on the early buildings and how it related to businesses that were originally downtown that were run by Chinese immigrants.  This historic street exhibit is essential in telling the story of the everyday life that occurred in the early history of Boise.

Examples of what preservation and restoration in Boise can be seen with what was done with the Egyptian Theater. The theater was saved in the 70’s and has been renovated many times.  It is an example a building that is registered in the Historic American Building Survey or HABS and is known in the survey as the Ada Theater.  The Fort Boise Administration Building is also registered in HABS, so there are many buildings that are in the Survey in Boise.

Seeing that from this week’s readings implies that  preservation does indeed matter and that local governments care as much for preserving certain buildings and landmarks as much as the federal government does.  Concerned citizens are the ones that raise their voices in preserving and using technology as a way to seek to renew and make these older gems of the past sparkle as when they were first built.

This assignment was a great undertaking for this old, not so technical kind of person.  I can maneuver around the internet with the best of people, but trying to create these wiki articles was indeed a frustrating challenge to say the least.  My previous experience in writing a Wiki article came in my Introduction to Public History class that was taught at the time by Dr. Madsen-Brooks.  We had to write and develop five articles for the up and coming Boise Wiki.  I thought that this was a challenge to come up with five new things that have not been written about for the city of Boise.  I had forgotten how these taxed my mind and tried to overcome my anxiety of posting to the Boise Wiki, and then try to make this work on Wikipedia itself, when I looked at it, it truly boggled my mind.  But as one to never quit, or surrender, I went once again into the fray to try and post articles to the Boise Wiki and Wikipedia itself.

When I started this adventure, I was first going to do it on the first woman that was executed in the state of Idaho.  The internet interceded and looking at the Idaho Statesman website and it got me thinking that since this is the 150^th anniversary of the forming of the territory of Idaho.  Then with the Statesman naming 150 people and events that have happened in Boise, the thought occurred to me, why not do it on infamous people.  This is when the idea to write on Robin Row hit me.  She is the only woman that is officially on Idaho’s death row, so why not look to both wiki’s and see if anything had been written on her, and there had not.   There has not much been written on her since she was incarcerated into the Idaho prison system.  Then I searched Google and other search engines and there was not an article specific to Robin Row.  So this made it the next step to write a short 300 word article and then try to get it published on the Boise Wiki and Wikipedia.  This is where it became difficult.  Being old, and with little knowlege about either, it was sink or swim.  Dog paddling in these waters helped me to survive.

I had tried to use my previous account from the Boise Wiki to log in and create the article.  After several attempts to reset the password, I just went ahead and created a new account.  This seemed to be the logical things to do and it worked.  Then I proceeded to create a new page called “Infamous People”. ( https://boise.localwiki.org/Infamous_People ) Once the page was created, it was very easy to add the article and then publish it.  Editing the Boise Wiki is extremely easy to do.  The page is there and hopefully if more people want to add it about the Infamous People that have been in Boise, then it is there.

The Wikipedia page was a whole different story in its creation.  I had created the account and did the “sandbox” entry to try and see if could take it from the article itself from creation to publication.  What was so frustrating was that I was stuck in the “sandbox”.  I realize that it was my “sandbox” to play in, but getting out was the difficult part.  This portion was extremely hard to deal with until the thought hit me, just go to YouTube, and see if there is a simpler way to try and get the article out of the “sandbox”.  There was a video and I was able free myself and get the article, hopefully published.  There was a blurb saying that the editors were weeks behind in editing and that it will take time for them to get to it.  I looked to see if there was anything in my “talk” area, and there was not.  I was able to print out what was there and I feel I have made my contribution to Wikipedia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Lee_Row)

As for writing such a small article for Wikipedia, I feel that I am now part of the world of global information.  In seeing the lengthy articles that are there, I feel like the guppy in with the sharks.  I will have to wait and see what the fate of the article is.

About the liabilities and advantages of writing wiki articles is that they are always subject to ones interpretation of how the original author wants the information to be portrayed.  Since Wikipedia only deals with secondary sources, then the reader is wondering if the article is credible, or just skewed to the way the author wants to present his information.  The smaller, local wiki would have to be edited constantly so that false or defamatory information is not posted.  The Boise Wiki is a great opportunity for regular people and also for public historians to post information that is valuable and meaningful.

Public historians can use Wiki’s to best of their abilities if they use their imaginations and can create a wiki for the museum or exhibit that they are personally working on.  Smart phones and tablets can be directed to the wiki site where the historian has placed their information and it could be used as a guide for say students could look at this prior to seeing the exhibit.

Wiki’s can be an important tool if they are used in the way they are supposed to be used.  In doing this assignment, I think that most of us will learn that going through the mechanics of getting a wiki published is only half the battle.  It’s following the guidelines and rules so that if one is passionate about what they feel is important, then a wiki can be the place to show that passion.

Historic preservation is certainly an interesting topic to explore. On the outside, it seems as though the decision process is as simple as: there’s a building…something important happened there…let’s save it. The reality is much more complex as the actual physical location is not the entire story. History must play an integral and primary role in historic preservation. Other factors must also be considered such as Niki’s question of to which era is a building restored? If you have multiple events of historic significance, which takes precedence?

I liked the analogy that Tyler used when referring to buildings as representing both nouns and verbs. I think that this is an important distinction to make when considering how and why a building should be saved from destruction. In distinguishing the different perspectives on preservation, Tyler highlights the Chinese who “do not consider the preservation of physical structures as critical.” (Chapter 1)* As others have mentioned in their blog posts and in class, almost nothing remains of the Chinese who used to live in Boise. However, considering the point of view raised in the previous quote, would the preservation of their homes and businesses (done by outsiders) merely have been the superimposition of another group’s value system?

The role of urban renewal with historic preservation is a complicated one. There must be new growth and development to sustain society, but the prevailing view that took hold during this time period – that “old was bad and new was good” (Chapter 2)* – actually caused more problems. Boise lost many beautiful downtown structures as city leaders attempted to modernize.  Although steps have been taken to ensure that history is preserved, the question of whose history and what history is preserved still remain.

*Page # not available as I am using the iBooks version of the text.

When compared to most countries the United States has a very short history. The preservation of our history and heritage, as discussed in this weeks reading, has become an important feature of our society. Tyler’s over view of the important moments in historical preservation’s history didn’t really come as too much of a surprise to me. Growing up near Yellowstone National Park (YNP) my family often dug into the history and importance of different preservation acts in that area. Chapter 3, however, is the section that gave me pause. Discussing the three schools of thought included in adding to a historic building or putting a new one in a historic districted deserves some discussion. I automatically assume that anything near or in addition to a historic building should match in order to not stand out or detract from the actual historic building. The compatible approach, however, made me think of the additions made to Old Faithful Inn in YNP. The iconic log building of Old Faithful Inn gained two new wings not much more than a decade after the original was built. These new wings, however, were updated with individual bathrooms instead of communal as well as other modernized upgrades. The new exterior seems to have been designed in this ‘compatible approach’ (107) instead of built to perfectly match the original building. It does not detract from the original icon and yet adds hundreds of comfortable rooms for YNP tourists. I find it surprising to find such an old example of thoughtful designers who complimented the original work. In what cases do designers or architects decide what building deserves which kind of matching, compatible, or contrasting design?

I would also like to question whether all of these designs work as well outside the United States? While visiting Germany i observed a number of different examples of this façadism and it did not do justice to some of these cities’ oldest buildings. Medieval buildings brought down to their facades sat tucked into corners looking forgotten and miserably out of place.  In Bath, England the entire city is required to build their buildings out of the original beautiful white stone that the original builders used. That stone, however, has to be shipped in from miles away since the original quarry dried up and it is also fragile and slowly breaking down even on the newer buildings. Speak to nearly any local and they will roll their eyes and the city’s mandate of matching buildings that they feel really only works for the tourism board.  Which designs or choices will stand the test of time? Or will current choices only become pure annoyance and tourism gimmicks for future generations?

Like others have mentioned in their blogs and by Norman Tyler, 1976 represented a crucial year in terms of United States history and historic preservation. 1976 was the bi-centennial anniversary of our nation, a time that prompted people to remember the history of the United States, both the good and the bad. This remembrance is seen in popular culture such as in the comic books of the day. Archie comic books devoted many stories to various historical figures, buildings, and events throughout their 1970’s stories. That popular culture items promote those ideas and things demonstrates a want or desire to hang onto our cultural heritage. Anniversaries or important dates help people to remember the past or reconnect with it; as important as 1976 stood out to people, for a nation 1966 represented a truly pivotal moment in American history. The National Historic Preservation Act in 1966 showed a step forward for historic preservation. This act had the goal of getting governments, both federal and local, to work together in order to preserve American cultural heritage for current and future generations. Boise stands as a good example of both a failure and success of the National Historic Preservation Act. So much of the cultural sites of Boise were torn down and either replaced or left as eyesores; I have heard some people argue that the buildings that replaced the demolished structures such as city hall are eyesores. A success of preservation in Boise is seen in the Basque community with the preservation of a prominent Basque family house. As others have mentioned historic preservation may convey a feeling of a pet project for historians in America, but I do believe there is a want on some portion of the populace, aside from many historians, on wanting to preserve their cultural heritage. In another class we were giving the opportunity to take an impromptu tour of an individual’s historical home, an individual who, outside of having a passion for history, has no connection to historians or to being a historian.

There feels like there will always be some sort of conflict in preserving historical buildings in the United States. The question that is associated with preserving buildings is the same question that museums deal with. What do we want to represent us? Learning a little bit about the hanging Indian mural located in Boise, I think this question is ever present within American society. Indians were hung in the Boise region that is a part of both the city and the state’s history. The hanging Indian mural also represents some of the difficulties in preserving our past. For some they merely want to show the past knowing that it will better future generations, for others portions of the past should be buried.

It was interesting to learn how architects worked with historic buildings in order to preserve them with new structures. That is definitely a topic I did not know very much about, but is something that is important to know about no matter who you are. At the end of the day, it is up to the community to help preserve the historic buildings within their area. Those buildings are of immediate cultural importance to them first, they live with them. In Boise, residents take pride in their Egyptian Theatre, Basque houses, and various other historical sites. It is through a solid grassroots effort in conjunction with the local and federal governments that will help preserve our heritage for future generations.

Understanding the development of the field of historic preservation is an essential key to understanding the methods and practices that are currently used by historians, architects, and preservationists. I wish I could say that I was surprised to learn that private sector women’s groups were the unofficial founding “mothers” of historic preservation, but I was not. I find it very fitting that the movement for preserving important culture and historic buildings began as a “grass-roots movement” driven by the awareness and desires of different stakeholders and interested parties (12).  And yet, within 175 years, the process has taken on a much more bureaucratic approach which now requires comments and approval from review boards and nomination committees. Author Norman Tyler did a sufficient job explaining how the movement progressed from its humble beginnings into a process that is currently being dictated by government agencies and non-profit organizations. Although I acknowledge that government support is a crucial component for successful preservation projects, and the reasons for this are many, such as financial support or campaigns to increase public awareness; however, this does make me question the presence of alternative motives or political agendas in determining projects worthy of preservation. I would hope that by maintaining a strong community component in such projects, that the historic and cultural reasons for preservation remain the deciding factors in project approval and commitment. Knowing that the roots of this movement began with the efforts of local community organizations is comforting, especially in light of uncertain financial times and increasing budget cuts. I am confident that with the presence of small localized affiliates the field of historic preservation will continue to prosper and provide a genuine and necessary service.

 

In addition to recognizing the historiography of the field of historic preservation, I found knowing the physical preservation methods and approaches equally if not more crucial to understanding the challenges inherently found within the field. Prior to reading Historic Preservation I was unaware of the different approaches designers can use to incorporate an old building into a more modern setting. I can see the difficulties that designers face when trying to restore an old façade or build something new in an historic area. Because of challenges steeped in differing opinions and perspectives, it is important for designers to consult with historians prior to completing a design in order to better grasp the significance of place, time, and the previous use of the space. Having a solid knowledge of those components will make the job of choosing a matching, compatible or contrasting design scheme easier to create and will at the same time facilitate in gaining community support needed to move forward with such a project.

 

Also, on a side note, since Tyler did mention Boulder, CO (my home town) as an example of a “city that accepts regulation as good for the community,” I wanted to share a relatively new preservation project that seems to face many of the challenges and concerns that Tyler raised through the readings. I have added the link to the project website, and also some links to other related issues.

 

Historic Jaycees Depot, Boulder CO 

Oskar Blues eyes Boulder Train Depot as New Brewpub 

Boulder Junction 

What an excellent introduction to the field of Historic Preservation! This is a realm I wish I could contribute more to. This last friday in fact, Preservation Idaho had an event that appealed to me, but I couldn’t make time to attend. Tyler says saving historic buildings and places historically lacked initiative from the federal government and the broader community (27-31). I have to agree with this assessment, and argue there are major clusters of Americans that still feel this way. Even though the field made advances with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Park Service, the Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and the list of Historic Places, I still feel there is a sentiment in America that historic preservation is just a pet project for us historians, even though I will agree that this sentiment is shrinking.

The conflict persists due to development rivalry. One the one hand we have these designs for CADillac structures that defy physics and symbolize the technology based reality we live in – we just need space to build them. On the other hand we have an ever-expanding American history that is told through beautiful, uniquely American, buildings. Which structure deserves the space? A symbol of where we came from, or a symbol of where we are going? In Boise, we have great examples of this question being answered in the worst possible way: destroying the history and not building the future, however this run-in with Urban Renewal should not cloud the fact that there is still room for compromise.

The author shows several ways architects conjoin historic buildings with new ones. I think with proper amounts of grassroots support, and tasteful architectural plans,  many cities, states and nations can both preserve history and build for the future.