The internet tells me that 45% of all Americans make News Year’s resolutions. The top ones – which I think we’ve all made at one time or another – are to be happier, healthier, and more organized. A psychologist friend tells me that one of the ways to be happier and healthier is to manage your stress. Well, duh, right? This same friend also tells me one way to do that is to all seek out good news to balance all of the bad news in our world. I’m sure you’re all thinking, “well, that’s great, Shelby, but why are you talking about this in a SHPO Shout-Out post?” I’m talking about it because the SHPO Shout-Out is all about good news! A well-known TV talk show doctor even says sharing good news boosts your mood. I’m no doctor or expert on these matters, but it seems like taking just a few minutes to read this post and think about all the wonderful things happening in our communities can help reduce your stress level and – like icing on a cake – if you share it with others you might just be happier, too!
Category: Historic Preservation (Page 39 of 49)
Ah, 1966… A gallon of gas costs 32 cents… the Dow Jones reaches a high of 950… Ronald Reagan is elected governor of California… Star Trek premieres on NBC and leads us into the final frontier… Robert Venturi’s observation on modernist architecture – Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture – is published… AND the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 is passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson. Continue reading
2015 went by so quickly that we didn’t even have time to put together our traditional “Year in Review” post! Since we’re in the first week of 2016 already, I’ll give you a quick look at the PA SHPO’s 2015 highlights and a glimpse into some of the great things we have in store for you in 2016.
Great Things in Store for 2016!
I am happy to share some exciting news…
We are now the PA SHPO
As of January 1, 2016, the Bureau for Historic Preservation (BHP) is now the PA SHPO, for the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office.
The PHMC Commissioners approved the official designation at their December meeting “to recognize the significance and legacy of the [National Historic Preservation] Act and to honor the 50th anniversary of the Act to assure a more vibrant future for preservation in Pennsylvania…”
You’ll see our new name and logo on our emails, blog, newsletters, correspondence, forms, displays, and official paperwork. The new changes will roll out over the course of the next few months.
PA SHPO Office Reorganization
With our new name comes a new office space!
Beginning on January 14, 2016, the PA SHPO offices in the Commonwealth Keystone Building will be completely redone with a new and improved research room, conference rooms, and a floor plan that helps us work more efficiently and effectively. We expect the reorganization to take about five weeks.
Please note:
* The Research Room will be closed from Thursday, January 14th through Friday, January 29th. To accommodate the closure, the Research Room will be open on Monday, January 11th and Monday February 1st for its normal 9:00 to 4:00 hours.
* Staff phone numbers will remain the same.
* Please expect some disruptions with our service during this time. We will do our best to maintain ‘business as usual’ but there may be times when we are not able to return a call or email immediately. We hope this reorganization will go smoothly and we appreciate your patience!
We are gearing up for some truly great work in 2016. We hope you’ll be part of it!
What is your most amazing discovery?
by Christine Davis, Christine Davis Consultants, Inc.
After 30 years of excavating archaeological sites in Pennsylvania, I’m often asked about my most amazing discovery. I would not hesitate for a moment to say it was our large-scale excavation of the Freeport Site in Freeport Township, Greene County, which revealed an extraordinary Native American archaeological site dispersed across 11 acres of land above the Monongahela River.
Spotlight Series: Preservation At Work in Bradford
45 communities in Pennsylvania have a formal working relationship with the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO) on a variety of preservation-related programs and projects.
Known as Certified Local Governments (CLGs), these communities represent a broad geographic, demographic and economic swath across the Commonwealth. From Philadelphia (Pop. 1.5 million) to Mercersburg, Franklin County (Pop. 1500) and located in over a third of Pennsylvania counties, the CLG program provides exclusive funding and technical assistance for local governments. As you may remember from this post a few months ago, the CLG program is one of several federal programs administered by the PA SHPO; in this case, the National Park Service provides guidance, rules and funding for the CLG program.
Three CLG communities in the PA SHPO Western Region provide a glimpse into the range of preservation activities CLGs can sponsor. Over the next few months, we’ll illustrate how the City of Bradford, Moon Township and the City of Pittsburgh have used the CLG program to leverage their preservation programs. We’ll turn our spotlight on Bradford first.
It’s that time of year again . . . . . not holiday shopping, but Farm Show planning! That’s right, the Pennsylvania Farm Show will be taking place soon, January 9-16, and the SHPO will be there for the whole week. 2016 marks the 100th time Pennsylvania has celebrated agriculture and farmers with a multi-day exhibition in Harrisburg. Building on the number 100, this year we’re partnering with the Department of Agriculture’s Century Farm Program to recognize farms that have been owned and operated by members of the same family for at least 100 years. Our theme this year is “Farms + Family = Heritage.”
Continue reading
When I discovered the fabulously whimsical and colorful mosaic murals along the 1000 block of South Street in Philadelphia, I had no idea this outpouring of creativity was actually part of a fascinating preservation story. Visually, the neighborhood is delightful surprise, a colorful, mysterious and enigmatic world of unexpected images, embedded in the physical structure of the buildings. While the artwork is fun and engaging, it is also much more. It is physical evidence of the power of people to reclaim and reinvent their communities and redirect the forces of change that threaten them. Continue reading
5 Things To Do Now: Keystone Historic Preservation Grants
Things To Do Now is an occasional series featuring tips and tricks for some of the SHPO’s most popular programs and projects.
The windows at the Neville House in Allegheny County were restored with the help of a Keystone Construction Grant.
It is that time of year to start thinking about applications to the PHMC’s Keystone Historic Preservation Grant program, which supports planning and construction projects for historic places throughout the Commonwealth. Unfortunately, PHMC is unable to release application materials right now due to the state budget impasse. However, in anticipation of a forthcoming grant round, I encourage nonprofit organizations and municipal governments to start thinking about their applications. Many of the facets of a competitive application are good stewardship practices for caring for your historic building or community and are a worthwhile investment of time now despite this delay. Continue reading
PA Modern: Discovering Pennsylvania’s Midcentury Architectural Legacy
by Beth Hager
Eloquence in word and in visual expression – this is the exciting outcome of the new juried exhibit opening at The State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg on Sunday, October 25: “PA Modern: A Photography Exhibit of Midcentury Architecture.” Featuring 98 photographs by 44 photographers, the exhibit displays a wonderful array of some of the most iconic Modernist structures found throughout Pennsylvania. Continue reading
Recent Comments