Blog of the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office
Offbeat Outings is a bi-monthly series that highlights the travels of BHP staff as they experience history first-hand throughout Pennsylvania.
When some people plan to go on an historic vacation they think of places to visit like the Egyptian pyramids at Giza, Colonial Williamsburg, Stonehenge, or even Gettysburg. When I think of an historic vacation, I think about going home. Continue reading
As the days get shorter, the nights get longer and the threat of snowfall sends weather forecasters, school district superintendents and milk delivery truck drivers into a maddening frenzy, many people start complaining about the winter blues. You know that time of year – when one is frigid and dim due to the lack of heat and light – and the full effects of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) are on display – you find yourself sleeping more, eating more and avoiding social contact! Continue reading
Offbeat Outings is a bi-monthly series that highlights the travels of BHP staff as they experience history first-hand throughout Pennsylvania.
My name is Dave, and I’m an addicted heritage tourist. However, as I’m sure most readers of this blog can confess, I am not alone. In fact, Heritage Tourism brings billions of dollars to Pennsylvania each year, with historic communities and districts creating the largest draw. Continue reading
Farm-City Week was a national initiative begun in the 1950s to recognize the interdependence between rural and urban people, emphasizing the linked economies of agriculture and the industries that produced the machinery and products used by farmers to grow food and get it onto urban tables. Today many counties across Pennsylvania still host events observing Farm-City Week to bring attention to the mutual concerns of agricultural and urban communities. Continue reading
As an architectural historian and preservationist I have been trained to think about historic buildings and neighborhoods in a fairly focused way. Changes to old buildings should be sympathetic to the structure’s original design and be appropriate in terms in size, scale, materials and decorative details. Continue reading
There is great societal and cultural value in the preservation of our built heritage; of our historic communities and buildings. Most people understand the cultural value of preserving our history as it is illustrated by historic places. The need to experience our shared history seems to reflect a fundamental aspect of who we are as Pennsylvanians and Americans. Continue reading
The Spotlight Series is an occassional series that highlights interesting people, places, programs, and partner organizations working on historic preservation issues.
When it comes to protecting historic places and maintaining the character of our neighborhoods, villages, and landscapes, we all know that the real action is at the local level. Cities like Charleston and New Orleans paved the way for municipal historic preservation programs in the 1920s and 30s when they adopted ordinances designating portions of those cities as historic districts and enacting design review programs for managing changes to buildings in those districts. Since then, thousands of communities across the country, including hundreds in Pennsylvania, have adopted preservation ordinances of their own. A major resource for these communities is the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions, the only national –level organization dedicated to serving the needs of local government preservation boards and commissions through education, advocacy, and training. Continue reading
Many months of planning and meetings have culminated in the August 2013 re-launch of the Cultural Resources Geographic Information System (CRGIS). Continue reading
There is an armory in almost every county in Pennsylvania. Some counties have two or three. They are one of the most historically significant and, in most cases, architecturally distinctive buildings in the communities lucky enough to host one. The National Guard in Pennsylvania has a long history of military and civic service and the armories are the physical expression of that history. The Department of General Services is offering eleven of these historic armories for sale. This is the perfect opportunity to adaptively reuse these buildings and retain an important landmark in your community. Continue reading
When is an ugly building just an ugly building?
In the almost 50 years since the passage the landmark and policy setting National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the world of historic preservation has evolved to reflect the complexities and new understanding of the field. Continue reading
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