September is National Preparedness Month. According to the PA Emergency Management Agency (PEMA), this year’s theme is “Disasters don’t wait. Make your plan today.”
Category Archives: Disaster Relief
Documenting Historic Flood-Prone Communities in Central Pennsylvania
Over the last year, architectural historians and survey engineers with Commonwealth Heritage Group and ASC Group have been documenting historic properties and communities in Dauphin, Cumberland, and Perry Counties.
Of Paper and Parks: A Varied History of Mount Holly Springs
This week’s post about Mount Holly Springs in Cumberland County is the third in our series about the Tri-County Survey for PA SHPO’s Disaster Planning for Historic Properties Initiative. In previous posts, we wrote about Lykens, Dauphin County and Blain, … Continue reading
From a Creek Came a Village: A Brief History of the Town of Blain
Since our last update on the Tri-County survey project in Dauphin County, the Commonwealth Heritage Group and ASC Group survey teams have crossed the Susquehanna River and begun surveying communities in Cumberland and Perry Counties.
Mather Mill: A Model for Developing Resiliency for Historic Properties
On October 3rd, 2018, the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO) hosted a demonstration workshop to explore resiliency options for Mather Mill, a National Register–listed gristmill constructed ca. 1820 in Whitemarsh Township, Montgomery County. The workshop was conducted as … Continue reading
Lykens: A Case Study on the After-Effects of Flooding on Pennsylvania’s Communities
In the last installment about the ongoing Disaster Planning for Historic Properties Initiative we focused on survey work in the City of Harrisburg. Since that time, the survey teams led by Commonwealth Heritage Group and ASC Group have moved on … Continue reading
Disaster Planning in the Capital: Surveying the City of Harrisburg
As part of the Commonwealth’s Disaster Planning for Historic Properties Initiative, the PA SHPO and the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission (TCRPC) have partnered to continue the state’s efforts to inventory flood-prone historic buildings for integration into the County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan. Continue reading
Protecting against Future Floods: Floodproofing Workshops in PA
During the week of August 13th, The Pennsylvania Silver Jackets hosted floodproofing workshops in York, Lewisburg, and Wellsboro, and the State Historic Preservation Office had a representative (me) there to answer questions from public officials and members of the public. … Continue reading
Hazard Planning in a Historic Context: Part 2 – Taking Action
Last month we talked about how researching a place’s history and physical context factors into hazard planning, and what kinds of building elements are most at risk. This week’s post focuses on taking action and what can be done to protect … Continue reading
Add this to your summer reading list! #preservationhappenshere – PA’s Statewide Preservation Plan – is ready for you
Picture yourself – lounging poolside, lakeside, or on the beach – with your tablet or smart phone (or even good old-fashioned paper) enjoying the hottest summer publication that hasn’t yet made the New York Times bestseller list: #preservationhappenshere, Pennsylvania’s next statewide historic preservation … Continue reading