A Richer Heritage: Historic Preservation in the Twenty-First Century

Richard Hampton Jenrette Series in Architecture and the Decorative Arts

by Robert E. Stipe (Editor)

Surveying the past, present, and future of historic preservation in America, this book features fifteen essays by some of the most important voices in the field. A Richer Heritage will be an essential, thought-provoking guide for professionals as well as administrators, volunteers, and policy makers involved in preservation efforts.An introduction traces the evolution of historic preservation in America, highlighting the principal ideas and events that have shaped and continue to shape the movement. The book also describes the workings--legal, administrative, and fiscal--of the layered federal, state, and local government partnership put in place by Congress in 1966. Individual chapters explore the preservation of designed and vernacular landscapes, the relationship between historic preservation and the larger environmental and land-trust movements, the role of new private and nonprofit players, racial and ethnic interests in historic preservation, and the preservation of our intangible cultural values. A concluding chapter analyzes the present state of the historic preservation movement and suggests future directions for the field in the twenty-first century. Contributors include preservationists, local-government citizen activists, an architect, landscape architects, environmentalists, an archaeologist, a real-estate developer, historians, a Native American tribal leader, an ethnologist, and lawyers.

Genres: History, Heritage Preservation, Architecture, Nonfiction, Preservation, Grad School

592 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2003

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written and edited book that tackles both the broad spectrum of preservation and the nuances. What I found especially impressive was the breadth of knowledge that all contributors had, and their ability to expand upon concepts and nuances in ways that never felt dry. This book was enlightening as someone newer to historical preservation, and not only did I gain strong insight, but this is a book I plan to come back to. There are sections that are a little dense and may take some rereading or some sentences could be read incorrectly warranting a pause in the overall flow, however. Overall, this is a fantastic read on preservation. It is one that will require some time to get through and requires some analysis, but the depth of knowledge exhibited, including nuances makes this a book worthy of being added to the shelf of anyone interested in historical preservation or history as a whole.

[Ishbel · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
Made me realize I do not want to go into cultural management/preservation.

[Jennifer Bentley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seminar.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're interested in learning more about preservation read this book... go... get it.... now!

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as part of a graduate course in historic preservation. Like most college text books it is choke full of information, however, it is quite dull.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic. Accessible, descriptive, detailed.

[Cheery · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good source for preservation fundamentals.

[Mike Emett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Required reading for "Capital City Field School, Columbia, SC Historic Preservation" graduate seminar.

[Jessica Nelsen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Informative but mind numbingly dull.

[Megan]

A little outdated at this point, but overall a good history of the historic preservation movement in the United States up until 2003.