Taking Action to Save Historic Resources

New to preservation? Check these links for hints on how to get started. See also our Research section for helpful resources.

Federal Standards & Guidelines

National Register of Historic Places Bulletin #22: Guidelines for Evaluating and Nominating Properties that Have Achieved Significance Within the Past Fifty Years. A must-have for preservationists. Full, printable version available on-line! (Link Here)

Preserving the Recent Past, a National Park Service CRM (Cultural Resource Management) Bulletin. Articles by H. Ward Jandl, Thomas Jester, and others illuminate the art of saving our 20th-century landmarks as well as preserving materials particular to this era of architecture.

Interpreting Federal Standards by Eric Adams of Architecture Magazine.

Region & State Standards & Guidelines

From Minnesota:

The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota community action guide:
http://www.mnpreservation.org/documents/Community_Action_Guide.doc

and Preservation Crisis Handbook:
http://www.mnpreservation.org/documents/Preservation_Crisis_Handbook.doc

Preservation PA crisis handbook:
http://www.preservationpa.org/resources/crisis/index.php

List of State Historic Preservation Office Web Sites Nationwide. Courtesy North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office.

How do community governments work toward preservation of historic resources? Check out the City of Aspen (Colorado) Community Development Department to see their contractor training requirements and other related documents.

See also the State of California Office of Historic Preservation site with information on grants, compliance, and preservation plans.

Florida Master Site File. The Florida Master Site File is a paper file archive and computer data base of all known historical structures and archaeological sites in Florida. There are currently more than 106,000 historical structures and archaeological sites listed on the site file. Paper forms for those interested in nominating structures, buildings, and sites are available on-line in PDF and .doc format.

From the Ground Up: A Preservation Plan for Georgia, 2001-2006 is now available on the Historic Preservation Division's web site at www.gashpo.org under "2001-2006 State Plan." The publication was created by soliciting input from HPD's constituents as well as staff analysis of preservation programs, issues and projects; confirmation of long-range goals; and the identification of objectives and annual action plan items.

Shore to Shore: Planning to Preserve. "Michigan’s State Historic Preservation Office, under a directive of the National Park Service, develops a statewide historic preservation plan every five years. The purpose of the state’s historic preservation plan is to guide individual organizations so that all strive toward the same outcomes in the preservation of Michigan’s historic resources." The 2001-2006 plan is available in PDF format (Adobe Acrobat Reader required).

Texas (as in several other states) has recently completed and extensive study on the economic impacts of historic preservation. The Texas study, conducted for eight CLG cities (including Laredo) and the SHPO by the Center for Urban Policy Research of Rutgers University, has seven major findings about the positive economic impacts of preservation. Download their PDF here: http://www.thc.state.tx.us/PDF/EconImpact.pdf

Texas: Nifty Fifty: Finding the Best Buildings of the Past 50 Years The Texas Historical Commission is conducting a public architectural survey to encourage discussion and appreciation of architecture that best represents the last 50 years. Please contribute! Or use their survey form (PDF format) as the basis for your own local survey.

Case Study Corner:
THE RIVERGATE (1968 - 1995) "Architecture And Politics No Strangers In Pair-A-Dice. A 20th Century Masterpiece Destroyed By Louisiana's Gambling Blitz," hosted by Howard-Tilton Memorial Library Tulane New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Excellent site with full documentation of an "informational and educational case study" detailing the creation of the Rivergate, the efforts to preserve it, and the destruction of this significant mid twentieth-century public building in New Orleans, Louisiana.

History of the Modern Preservation Movement. Links to articles that detail the people and organizations spearheading preservation of the recent past in our on-line Research section.

Free Discussion Boards and On-Line Petition pages

Live Modern: Making Modernism Affordable LiveModern is a free and open community for modern home buyers, architects, builders, developers, furnishers, lenders, realtors—anyone interested in modernist housing. Includes blogs, chats, forums, news, resources, and support.

EBoard.com "Your own "Virtual Corkboard" where you can post messages, photos and links online in seconds. With an eBoard you can quickly and easily make information accessible to others on your own private place online." Great site to get your information on the web quickly and easily! 30-day free trial.

Los Angeles Conservancy Modern Committee new message board. This is a totally FREE service designed by and for volunteers in the interest of preservation of Modernism everywhere. http://www.lottaliving.com/bb/

Petition Online "www.PetitionOnline.com provides free hosting of public petitions for responsible public advocacy. We welcome petitions on almost any subject, for almost any audience. The idea of PetitionOnline.com is to facilitate grassroots democracy, using our independent petition hosting system to give a high level of integrity to the process. We believe that in a world with many powerful organizations, both private and governmental, responsible forms of collective grassroots expression are more important than ever. And we believe the Internet can facilitate this kind of participatory democracy." This is a great site to gather signatures for your cause!

Petition-Them "The problem with ordinary petitions is that their reach is limited by the media they use. Petition-them has a potentially unlimited reach. It can be used to add weight to your cause at a very local level, or to influence government and large organisations. All petitions can be placed free and include a bulletin board and administration tools."

Preserve & Protect "A not-for-profit corporation providing space on the World Wide Web for Historic Preservation and Environmental Protection Organizations" Offers free web site hosting!

QuickTopic.com "'Couldn't be any easier' - PC Magazine. For any one-topic group discussion, use the Quick Topic free web forum instead of just email! Your messages will be in a private central place, and each of your friends can opt to participate by email or just use the web forum. That's because Quick Topic is a super-easy single-topic web bulletin board that's also fully email-enabled: you can get and post messages via email. Use it on your web site too. Thousands served."

Writing a Press Release

Press Flash - Press Release Services A site geared toward press releases for dot com press, but check out Anatomy of a Press Release for helpful information.

Press Release Writing Good tips for producing an effective press release, including a press release template.

Architecture and Preservation in the Real World

How to Save Historic Buildings, by the Los Angeles Conservancy.

Cyburbia.org Internet Resources for the Built Environment sponsored by the University of Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning. Be sure to check out the Cyburbia cafe "a virtual gathering place" where you can post and answer messages. Also check the Architectural Resources page for links to other architecture and planning sites.

Architectural Heritage Web Pages A web site gathering ground for all of Britain's leading architectural charities and amenity societies.

History and Preservation Organizations

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Learn all about Section 106 and how it impacts your historic preservation battle.

National Park Service Learn about the parks. Also good links and information for preservation training.

National Register of Historic Places A division of the National Park Service. You can download the preservation bulletins from this site. Requirements (criteria) for listing in the National Register are also detailed here.

National Trust for Historic Preservation Nationwide organization dedicated to historic preservation. Also see NTHP Books for helpful bulletins at a nominal price (including "Dollar$ and Sense of Battlefield Preservation," "Celebrating National Preservation Week in Your Community," "Basic Preservation Procedures," "Rescuing Historic Resources: How to Respond to a Preservation Emergency," "Preservation Revolving Funds," "Establishing an Easement Program to Protect Historic, Scenic, and Natural Resources," and the essential reference book "Preservation Yellow Pages" featuring nationwide preservation listings.

PreserveNet: The Preservationist's Resource A particularly helpful site. Lists jobs, conferences, internships, organizations, products, and "Preservation Links" to other historic preservation groups.

Preservation Action "Founded in 1974, Preservation Action advocates federal legislation to further the impact of historic preservation at the local, state and national levels. We are dedicated to: Elevating historic preservation as a national priority through our legislative actions; Monitoring federal agency actions that affect the preservation of the nation's historic and cultural resources; Participating directly in policy development; Creating an environment for others to succeed with their preservation initiatives."

Society of Architectural Historians "The Mission of the Society of Architectural Historians is to advance knowledge and understanding of the history of architecture, design, landscape, and urbanism worldwide. The Society and its members invite the support and active participation of all who share our interest in architecture--past, present, and future."

Society for Commercial Archaeology Devoted to the study of roadside architecture.

Activist and Non-Profit Sites

State Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG) "The PIRGs are state-based advocates for the public interest. When consumers are cheated, or our natural environment is threatened, or the voices of ordinary citizens are drowned out by special interest lobbyists, the state PIRGs speak up and take action."

Great Sites to Look at For Your Own Development

Environmental Background Information Center Since 1992, EBIC has been providing grassroots groups facing threats to their health and enviornment with three basic services, at no charge: Track records of corporate polluters, environmental justice mapping and strategic assistance. EBIC is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization that relies on progressive foundations and individual donations.

Greenbelt Alliance "Greenbelt Alliance is the Bay Area's citizen land conservation organization. Founded in 1958, we are dedicated to protecting the region's Greenbelt of open space and making our communities better places to live." Great web site example with all the features activists need.

Housing America "We are waging a national, grassroots field campaign to increase federal funding for affordable housing. Through research, grassroots lobbying, and strategically orchestrated press conferences, we will bring pressure to bear on federal elected officials. It is time to take the fight for affordable housing to the national level, where real gains can be won!"

The Potomac Conservancy "The only land trust solely dedicated to protecting the scenic beauty and natural resources of the freshwater Potomac River. Its primary focus is the spectacular 15-mile Potomac River Gorge from the Great Falls of the Potomac to Rock Creek in Washington, DC. As development pressures have increased and extended further upriver, the Conservancy has expanded its conservation efforts to include the 45 miles north of Great Falls all the way up to the West Virginia border." Includes information on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, a property of the National Park Service.

The Preservation Alliance of Virginia "Virginia's largest preservation network, supporting Virginia's preservation interests at every level -- local, state, and national. The Alliance provides services and technical advice for preservation projects and programs; communication among individuals, businesses, and organizations interested in preservation; and educational opportunities for preservationists and the public."

Save Our Seminary at Forest Glen An organization dedicated to saving the National Park Seminary in Silver Spring, Maryland. The site is threatened with demolition by its owner, the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Virginia Center for Stewardship "A 'first stop' resource for environmental news, information and events taking place throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. "

If you don't know it already, here are hints for learning HTML the easy way

"Project Cool"
A network of websites sharing the common belief that anyone can make a great website if given knowledge, guidance and inspiration. There's something for everyone within, from the first time webmaker to the designer with years of experience."

W3 Tech School of Web Design
Short set of html tutorials, includes crash course in html and crash course in Java for the web.