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Help Save America's Historic Roads!
 SUPPORT PRESERVING THE HISTORIC ROAD
Preserving the Historic Road (PTHR) is the leading voice for the identification, preservation and management of historic roads in the United States. Help support our mission to protect historic roads. Become a PTHR Sponsor. To become a PTHR Sponsor
CLICK HERE >>
Preserving the Historic Road 2012
Indianapolis, Indiana, September 20-22, 2012
To view the conference program CLICK HERE >>
We invite you to travel along the Historic National Road to Indianapolis, Indiana for our next conference, September 20-22*, 2012. Long known as the Crossroads State, Indiana has notable historic roads and scenic byway corridors including the Historic National Road, the Ohio River Scenic Byway, Indiana Historic Pathways, the Lincoln Highway, the Whitewater Canal, the Dixie Highway and the Michigan Road. Founded in 1821, Indianapolis was designed by Alexander Ralston, an apprentice of Pierre Charles L'Enfant. Nicknamed the Circle City, Indianapolis is centered on historic Monument Circle. In the 1900s, as a part of the City Beautiful movement, the noted landscape architect George Kessler created a plan for parklands and boulevards throughout the City. Today, after forty years of progressive planning, we invite you to experience the historic sites, canal, public spaces and museums of downtown Indianapolis-one of the most dynamic and walkable cities in the United States. Mark your calendar now for Indianapolis and Preserving the Historic Road 2012!
*Please note the final date of the conference is Saturday 22 September, not 23 September as originally announced.
The National
Road and the Difficult Path to Sustainable National Investment
The National Road and the Difficult Path to Sustainable National Investment
by Dr. Theodore Sky (Closing Keynote PTHR 2010) has been published by the
University of Delaware Press and is available for purchase. Dr. Sky's book
provides a comprehensive history of the first federally financed interstate
highway, an approximately 600-mile span that joined Maryland, Pennsylvania,
West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois in the nineteenth century. This
book covers the road's contribution to the cultural, economic, and
administrative history of the United States, its decline during the second
half of the nineteenth century, and its revival in the twentieth century in
the form of U.S. Route 40. The book provides valuable insights into the
story of the constitutional significance of the National Road as an early
federal investment in public infrastructure. For more information, CLICK HERE >>
Preserving the Historic Road 2010
Washington, DC, September 9-12, 2010
Preserving the Historic Road 2010 was a great success. Delegates from over 30 states (from Alaska to Florida) and five nations (Australia, France, Israel, Spain and the United Kingdom) gathered in downtown Washington, DC for four full days of engaging conversation and fellowship. Highlights included opening remarks from Jon Jarvis, the Director of the National Park Service, and top representatives from AASHTO, US-ICOMOS and FHWA. Educational session topics ranged from the Cănadas Reales of the Castile Crown in Spain and roadside mailboxes in Australia, to documenting prison labor on early motor roads in New Mexico and accident analysis for historic roads from the National Transportation Safety Board. Participants had the opportunity to study historic road management best practices in nearby Maryland and Virginia and, for the first time at PTHR, a public session on Sunday showcased the history of the streets and avenues of our Nation’s Capital. To view the 2010 Preserving the Historic Road Conference Program,
please CLICK HERE >>
The Preservation Office Guide to Historic Roads
A new publication, The Preservation Office Guide to Historic Roads, Clarifying Preservation Goals for State Historic Preservation Offices, Establishing Expectations for State Transportation Offices, is now available for state, tribal and local preservation offices. Written by Paul Daniel Marriott, with the generous underwriting of the James Marston Fitch Foundation of New York, this illustrated 86 page guide provides an introduction to the history of road design in the United States, definitions of historic road types and state and federal preservation and transportation policies. Learn the basics of historic road preservation. To download the guide, CLICK HERE >>
Iowa’s Historic Automobile Roads
Iowa’s Historic Automobile Roads is a comprehensive guide that can serve as a model for many states. This thematic study encompasses the components of historic roads related to technology and engineering, materials, construction, identification, and evaluation for Section 106 review purposes. The study presents information on how to identify, survey, and document historic roads in Iowa, and evaluate their significance under the criteria of the National Register of Historic Places. To download a copy of the guide, CLICK HERE >>
El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Inscribed in World
Heritage List
El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, the Spanish colonial "Royal Road to the Interior" has been inscribed in the World Heritage List, August 2010. The listing reflects 55 historic sites (pavement sections, bridges, taverns, landscape markers, architectural monuments and town and city streets) that showcase the design, construction and cultural influence of the great sixteenth-century highway from Mexico City to Santa Fe, New Mexico (USA). This is one of the first historic roads to be honored by World Heritage recognition. At this time, only the Mexican Government has chosen to advance their section of the historic road for World Heritage listing--the historic route of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro in the United States is not a part of this listing, but has been designated as a National Historic Trail by the National Park Service. To learn more about the new designation and the history of this great road, please CLICK HERE >>
Protecting Historic Street Trees
The Council of Europe and European Landscape Convention has published an comprehensive and useful paper titled: "Road Infrastructures: Tree Avenues in the Landscape." This beautifully illustrated 64 page paper discusses the history of street tree plantings in Europe, the rise of automobile and safety policies leading to their destruction, and new efforts and laws designed to preserve and protect heritage trees. To read this paper and learn how this study may help with the protection of historic street trees in your community, please CLICK HERE >>
Preserving the Historic Road 2008
Albuquerque, New Mexico, September 11-14, 2008
Preserving the Historic Road's 10 Year Anniversary in Albuquerque, New Mexico was a great success! Participants and speakers from 30 states, Australia, France and Japan gathered near the historic intersection of El Camino Real and US Route 66 to discuss and debate the future of historic roads. Delegates were welcomed at the historic deco/pueblo-style KiMo Theatre on Historic Route 66 and given the opportunity to learn about the new National Cooperative Highway Research Program study (NCHRP 25-29A) addressing historic roads. Noted author Michael Wallis gave the opening keynote after a brief screening of the Disney-Pixar film "Cars." Twenty education sessions were offered and tours studying historic roads in New Mexico provided opportunities for learning in the field. The closing keynote address was presented my noted preservation scholar Chester Liebs and delegates were invited to Washington, DC for the 2010 conference.
Preserving the Historic Road 2008--The French Perspective
Route Nostalgie, the French Journal dedicated to historic roads, has posted a summary of Preserving the Historic Road 2008 on its website. To view the article (in French) please CLICK HERE >>
New Jersey Historic Roads Photos Online
The State of New Jersey has newly posted images of historic roads in the Garden State available online. The collection includes construction, bridges, dedication events, aerial shots and more.
To view the images and learn more about this exceptional resource, CLICK HERE >>
Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary Series
Use the National Park Service's Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary Series to learn from
and plan trips to thousands of special places included in the official National Register of Historic
Places of the United States. For more information, CLICK HERE >>
New AASHTO Publication
AASHTO's Center for Environmental Excellence has just published "Consulting Under Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act." The publication introduces Section 106 to the transportation
community and clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved with a historic
transportation facility listed in or determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
To view or download this publication
CLICK HERE >>
New Technical Bulletin for Historic Roads
The National Park Service has issued Preservation Brief 46, "The Preservation and Reuse of Historic
Gas Stations" It is available for sale from the Government Printing Office (GPO): (866) 512-1800
CLICK HERE >>
European Communities Reduce Regulatory Sign Clutter
A growing number of European communities are experimenting with improving street safety by
removing regulatory signs. CLICK HERE >>
New Historic Roads Book
America's Park Roads and Parkways: Drawings from the
Historic American Engineering Record is the latest
publication showcasing the design and engineering of historic
roads in the United States. CLICK HERE >>
Rakeman Paintings
View the transportation paintings of Bureau of Public Roads Artist Carl Rakeman. CLICK
HERE >> |
