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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 8 - Landmarks WHS HP Commissioner Training - Chapter 1Chapter 1: HISTORY OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION Beginnings of the Preservation Movement Page 1 Historic preservation efforts in the United States began in the early 19th century as the country was beginning to form a national identity, and interest in the nation's formative years arose. Initially only properties of national significance and those associated with great American leaders were the focus of preservation, but ideas about what should be preserved expanded in the early 20th century. Start of a Movement: The Restoration of Mount Vernon One of the first efforts recognized in historic preservation is the restoration of Mount Vernon, the home of first president George Washington. After noticing the property was in a state of deterioration, a group of prominent women formed the Mount Vernon Ladies Association in 1853. They purchased the property, supervised its restoration, and managed and administered the site as a place where citizens could pay homage to one of its great leaders. The success of the Mount Vernon Ladies Association influenced the establishment of similar organizations and efforts. This group set the tone for the era's preservation activities, which focused on the houses of great American male leaders. During this period, private citizens and organizations were the primary leaders of the emerging historic preservation movement. The Federal Government Gets Involved The first federal historic preservation legislation occurred in the early 20th century as an outcome of the growing conservation movement. The adverse effects of rising industrialism coupled with the nation's expansion westward stimulated great interest in nature, particularly in the Southwest and in native cultures. As people became concerned about the looting of archaeological sites, Congress passed the Antiquities Act of 1906. The Act made destruction of nationally significant sites and antiquities a criminal offense, and it gave the president authority to designate properties as national monuments. Most importantly, by enacting this legislation the federal government acknowledged that it considered historic, cultural, and natural resources to be important and worthy of being preserved for the benefit of citizens. The conservation movement also inspired the establishment of the National Park Service in 1916, which grew to become a major player in both natural and historic preservation and significantly increased the federal government's role. View of Preservation Expands While properties of national significance and those associated with great American leaders remained the prominent focus of preservation activities throughout most of the Progressive Era, ideas about what should be preserved expanded. Preservationists began to acknowledge the importance of architecture and aesthetics in their own right, and interest arose in the history of ordinary people and everyday life. A significant turning point in the concept of historic preservation took place in 1931, when the citizens of Charleston, South Carolina, established the first historic district in an effort to protect the town's historic resources against the negative impact of automobile traffic. This action broadened historic preservation to include entire neighborhoods; it also acknowledged the importance of vernacular housing and the homes of local citizens as well as those of "great" Americans. Charleston also set a precedent in zoning legislation and the use of laws to establish, enforce, and protect preservation concerns at the local level. This trend toward valuing architecture and the history of ordinary people and communities continued to grow, and eventually became an established concept in preservation theory.  Historic Preservation Commission Training  Chapter 1: History of Historic Preservation  Chapter 2: Preservation Laws and Programs  Chapter 3: Community Benefits of Preservation  Chapter 4: Starting a Preservation Commission  Chapter 5: Preservation Commission Operations  Chapter 6: Preservation Commission Budgets and Finances  Chapter 7: Preservation Commission Processes  Chapter 8: Preservation Commission Design Guidelines  Chapter 9: Preservation Commission Design Review  Chapter 10: Preservation Community Relationships  Chapter 11: Coming Soon! Preservation Communications and Promotions  Historic Preservation Glossary RELATED RESOURCES  Find Historic Preservation Commissions in Wisconsin Government Role is Historic Preservation Page 2 During the middle decades of the 20th century, the federal government's role with historic resources expanded and preservation became national policy. However, this preservation ethic shifted in favor of urban renewal during the economic boom of the 1950s. Preservation Becomes National Policy The role of the federal government in historic preservation expanded in 1935 when Congress passed the Historic Sites Act. This act officially proclaimed the preservation of historic resources as national policy. It defined such resources as historic sites, buildings, and objects, and referred only to those of national significance. The law authorized the Secretary of the Interior to do three key things:  Conduct surveys and research  Acquire and restore historic sites  Educate the public regarding historic properties National Trust for Historic Preservation is Formed Historical organizations at state and local levels also continued to grow, and in 1949 a congressional charter formed the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The new organization had three initial goals:  Manage sites of national significance  Stimulate public involvement  Provide educational programs Economic Boom Creates Challenges The economic boom of the 1950s brought substantial challenges to historic preservation. A building boom accompanied the brisk economy, and building trends shifted toward modern, sleek, and suburban. Governments, businesses, and individuals spent their energy and finances on "new" architecture while the old was either destroyed or ignored. In addition to the building boom, "white flight" to the suburbs removed the much- needed economic base out of urban neighborhoods, which began to deteriorate rapidly. Government urban renewal programs aimed to clean up inner cities by demolishing "run down" areas and building modern highrises to accommodate the poor. The Housing Act of 1949 established the use of federal monies for the purchase and clearance of urban areas. As a result, entire neighborhoods in some cities were destroyed. The development of the modern interstate highway system also took a toll on historic properties. The impact of highway development on historic structures was not a consideration at the time of their construction, and many resources were lost in the process. THE NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT (NHPA) Page 3 A backlash against "destructive construction" paved the way for the most comprehensive and influential piece of legislation on preservation: the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The key aim of the NHPA is to ensure that federal agencies act as responsible stewards of our nation's resources when their actions affect historic properties. NHPA Enactment By the early 1960s, concerns about the adverse impacts of urban renewal and highway development led to a backlash against “destructive construction.” One result of this backlash was the 1965 publication of "With Heritage So Rich," a report that called for four key preservation initiatives:  A national historic preservation program  A comprehensive survey of historically significant properties  A listing or register of historically significant properties  Partnership on preservation issues at all levels of government Just one year later, Congress enacted the NHPA. The Act's major impact was to establish a National Register system that is executed on both state and national levels and that uses standard criteria for determining the importance of a property. These standards serve as guidelines to individuals, organizations, and governments. As a result, the process of historic preservation is more efficient, effective, and accessible. Government Role Confirmed The NHPA confirmed the government's role in historic preservation by authorizing federal funding for preservation programs in the National Park Service, the National Trust, and state governments. It also established historic preservation as a concern in all government endeavors through Section 106 of the NHPA. Section 106 requires that any federal agency or federally funded operation assess the impact of undertakings on historic resources. The NHPA remains the primary legislation affecting historic preservation. The standards, concepts, and procedures that it implemented are the framework for much of our historic preservation activities. Economic Incentives for Preservation During the 1980s, the NHPA was amended to initiate the Certified Local Government (CLG) program, which encourages historic preservation by local governments. Local governments that obtain CLG status become eligible to apply for federal grants set aside for CLGs. Around this same time, a program of federal investment tax credits to owners of income-producing historic buildings was launched. Also in 1980, the National Trust for Historic Preservation launched the Main Street Program, which promotes preservation-based economic development and grassroots revitalization efforts in historic downtown areas. National Historic Preservation Timeline  1853 – Mount Vernon Ladies Association is formed to preserve Mount Vernon.  1906 – Congress passes the Antiquities Act.  1916 – The National Park Service is established.  1931 – Charleston, South Carolina, establishes the first historic district in the nation and enacts the first zoning legislation for preservation.  1935 – Congress passes the Historic Sites Act.  1949 – The National Trust for Historic Preservation is created.  1949 – The Housing Act establishes use of federal monies for the purchase and clearance of urban areas; subsequently, many historic neighborhoods and downtown areas are destroyed.  1965 – "With Heritage So Rich" published by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  1966 – The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) becomes law.  1980 – The National Trust initiates the Certified Local Government Program and the Main Street Program. WISCONSIN HISTORIC PRESERVATION DEVELOPMENTS Page 4 Historic preservation developments in Wisconsin have followed the national patterns. In 1903, people concerned about preserving Native American artifacts and sites in Wisconsin founded the Wisconsin Archaeological Society. In 1976, the State Historic Preservation Office was formally established at the Wisconsin Historical Society. Early Efforts Private efforts and the work of local historical organizations led preservation efforts in Wisconsin throughout the early 20th century. In 1903, people concerned about preserving Native American artifacts and sites in Wisconsin founded the Wisconsin Archaeological Society. The group primarily focused on Indian mounds, and by the 1920s had helped save 500 mounds throughout the state. Early efforts in the state that focused on preserving buildings and historic period sites included those by the Wisconsin Federation of Women's Clubs, which in 1910 purchased the land where the first capitol of the Wisconsin Territory had once stood in Belmont. In 1917, the State of Wisconsin appropriated funds to purchase the capitol building and return it to its original site. In 1924, this area became the First Capitol State Park. Other projects typically involved the purchase of historically significant buildings, such as the Old Agency House and Fort Winnebago in Portage, the Little White Schoolhouse in Ripon, St. Augustine Church in New Diggings, and historic Hazelwood in Green Bay, the home of the principal author of Wisconsin's constitution. Legislative Initiatives On the state level, Wisconsin enacted the Integrated Park Act in 1947, which made it possible for the state to purchase, restore, and develop properties of historic and archaeological significance. The first property purchased under this legislation was a portion of the 1,000-year-old site of Aztalan. Following the 1966 passage of the NHPA, the Wisconsin Historical Society was designated as the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the official preservation administrator. Funds for permanent historic preservation staff were established in 1972. The office initially focused on conducting surveys of historic buildings and nominating sites to the National Register. In 1976, the State Historic Preservation Office was formally established. This office is responsible for a wide variety of preservation programs and activities. Local Preservation Efforts Communities across the state began to adopt local historic preservation ordinances and designate local landmarks and historic districts in the 1960s and 1970s. The first community in Wisconsin to develop a historic preservation ordinance and appoint a historic preservation commission was Milwaukee in 1963. Similar action took place in Madison in 1970, Fond du Lac in 1971, and Mineral Point in 1972. Several other cities followed suit throughout the decade, including Racine, La Crosse, Middleton, Waukesha, Kenosha, Cedarburg, Wausau, Evansville, and Mequon. The demolition of notable historic buildings sometimes served as a wake-up call, spurring the creation of local ordinances as residents demanded better protection of their historic resources. Historic Preservation Task Force In 1985, a group of state legislators, developers, architects, and attorneys formed the Wisconsin Historic Preservation Task Force. The group developed a comprehensive historic preservation legislative packet, much of which was subsequently enacted. These initiatives included the establishment of a Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places, state tax credit programs, and zoning and funding programs to support historic preservation. Preservationists initiated the Main Street program in Wisconsin in 1987 to stimulate economic investment in the state's downtowns. Historic Preservation Ordinances The State of Wisconsin continued to advance its historic preservation legislation in the 1990s by requiring cities and villages that have a National Register-listed property within their jurisdiction to adopt local historic preservation ordinances. As a result, approximately 167 Wisconsin communities have local historic preservation ordinances. When full compliance with the statute is reached, over 220 localities will have such ordinances in place. In 1999, the state enacted "Smart Growth" legislation that required most of Wisconsin's counties, cities, villages, and towns to adopt a plan that addresses the preservation of cultural resources by 2010. Wisconsin Historic Preservation Timeline  1903 – The Wisconsin Archaeological Society is founded.  1910 – The Wisconsin Federation of Women's Clubs purchases land of territorial capital.  1917 – The State of Wisconsin appropriates funds to purchase capitol building and returns it to its original site.  1947 – Wisconsin enacts the Integrated Park Act.  1963 – Milwaukee becomes the first community in Wisconsin to develop a historic preservation ordinance and appoint a historic preservation commission.  1966 – The Wisconsin Historical Society is designated as the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).  1976 – The Division of Historic Preservation – Public History of the Wisconsin Historical Society is established.  1985 – The Wisconsin Historic Preservation Task Force is formed.  1999 – Wisconsin enacts "Smart Growth" legislation requiring communities to address the preservation of cultural resources.