Historic preservation is a relatively new movement within
the United States. Two significant events in the 1960s contributed
greatly to the strength of the movement as we now know it:
the demolition of New York’s Pennsylvania Station
in 1963 and the passage of the National Historic Preservation
Act in 1966.
Prior to this time a small group of individuals, organizations
and a few enlightened communities existed to preserve and
protect a few sites and districts of national importance.
The Mount Vernon Ladies Association in the 1850s and the
Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation in the 1920s worked
to preserve the homes of two of our founding fathers. Independence
Hall, threatened with demolition early in the 19th century,
was saved by citizen outcry on the eve of a visit by the
aging Marquis de Lafayette. Efforts to save historic landscapes
tended to focus on significant battlefields – Lexington
and Concord or Gettysburg, for example.
For most buildings and sites, however, demolition and
loss were simply accepted as a consequence of the growth
of a thriving republic. Newer, bigger and better had fueled,
and would continue to fuel, the prosperity and unbridled
optimism of a relatively new nation.
A few groups did recognize historic roads early on. The
Daughters of the American Revolution, promoting the National
Old Trails Road, placed historical markers and “Madonna
of the Trail” statues along the National Road and
the Santa Fe Trail beginning in 1909 to commemorate the
location of the historic routes and the role of pioneer
women. In California, groups such as the California Federation
of Women’s Clubs and the Native Daughters of the Golden
West endorsed the preservation of El Camino Real and in
1904 formed the El Camino Real Association. The association
designed a cast iron bell, hung from an eleven-foot post,
to mark the historic route. Between 1906 and 1915 158 bells
were installed along the El Camino Real route from the Mexican
border to Northern California.
The Language of Historic
Preservation
While the term “historic preservation” is widely
accepted to entail all the actions and activities surrounding
the recognition, care and prevention of the loss of the
buildings, structures, districts and landscapes of the past,
“preservation” also has a more specific definition
associated with the nature of work and maintenance at a
historic site. In fact, preservation, restoration, rehabilitation
and reconstruction, terms that tend to get
tossed about quite liberally in the world of historic preservation,
have very specific meanings and implications for historic
resources. When undertaking a plan of action for a historic
road, it is important to select the appropriate terminology
for the activities be planned or promoted. It is very likely
a plan for a historic road will engaged two or more of the
activities defined by United States Secretary of the Interior’s
Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties*. These
standards refer to how a property will be used, altered,
maintained and protected.
preservation
Preservation applies to properties that are largely intact
and reflect the period(s) of significance. This would refer
to historic roads and road resources that maintain their
original design and materials in good condition. Under preservation,
activities and actions associated with the resource are
largely focused on maintenance and care.
rehabilitation
Rehabilitation applies to properties that are largely intact
and reflect the period(s) of significance, but may require
some repair or alteration. This would refer to historic
roads and road resources that maintain their original design
and materials in fair condition, or roads and resources
requiring modification for safety. Under rehabilitation,
activities and actions associated with the resource are
focused on maintenance, care and sensitive replacement or
modification on a limited basis.
restoration
Restoration applies to properties that retain significant
components of the period(s) of significance, but may require
some repair or alteration, or the removal of features/additions
not identified as contributing features. Under restoration,
activities and actions associated with the resource are
focused on maintenance and care of intact historic features,
replacement of lost features, and removal of inappropriate
features.
reconstruction
Reconstruction applies to properties that are largely beyond
repair or have been lost. Under reconstruction the design,
appearance and materials of the original road or road features
are recreated. For an historic road this may include the
complete replacement of a concrete pavement, that has degraded
beyond repair, utilizing the original specifications and
construction techniques.
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* U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the
Treatment of Historic Properties, 1995.
