Historic Preservation: Pre-WWII Key Concepts and Milestones

Pre-WWII Preservation: Core Concepts

  • Shift in thinking: artifacts valued for intrinsic aesthetic value as well as historic symbolism.
  • City Beautiful Movement sparked by the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago; Daniel Burnham, Court of Honor highlighted the push for grand, planned urban design.
  • Early preservation anchors:
    • Paul Revere House (ca. 1670), Boston — symbol of early preservation efforts.
    • Massachusetts preservation leadership (William Sumner Appleton; Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, established 1910).
  • Architectural styles as preservation anchors:
    • High Style: Westover (William Byrd II), Virginia, 1730-1734; Georgian characteristics.
    • Vernacular: Aspendale, Kenton vicinity, Delaware, ca. 1773.
  • National monuments and the 1906 Antiquities Act:
    • Act empowered designation of historic/prehistoric structures and other objects as national monuments on government land; public proclamation.
    • Examples: Devil's Tower (1906), El Morro (1906), Montezuma Castle (1906).
    • Earlier and other monuments include Castillo de San Marcos (1672), Fort Matanzas (1740), Fort Pulaski (1862), Statue of Liberty (1886).
  • National celebration & public memory:
    • Hudson-Fulton Celebration (1909) tied historic commemoration to national identity; 1609–2009 bicentennial framing.
  • Institutional milestones:
    • 1916: National Park Service established to administer and oversee preservation within the national park system.
  • Colonial Williamsburg as a model:
    • 1927: Colonial Williamsburg initiative led by John D. Rockefeller, Jr.; aim to teach future generations from the past; Duke of Gloucester Street as a preserved district.
  • Charleston preservation case:
    • 1931: Charleston, SC – Old and Historic Charleston District; Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) involvement; Bird’s-eye views from 1872 highlight historic urban fabric.
  • Colonial National Historical Park framework (Charleston-area context applied elsewhere):
    • 1930s: Integration of Jamestown, Yorktown, Williamsburg under a national historical park approach; visitor centers and interpretive infrastructure.
  • Living history and industrial-era preservation models:
    • 1936: Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village (Michigan) exemplify industrial heritage preservation and interpretation of American cultural landscape.
  • Modern byways and continued relevance:
    • 1991: National Scenic Byways established to acknowledge and promote landscape-scale preservation and interpretive routes across the country.

Key Dates (quick reference)

  • Columbian Exposition / City Beautiful: 1893
  • Antiquities Act (National Monuments): 1906
  • Hudson-Fulton Celebration: 1909
  • National Park Service established: 1916
  • Colonial Williamsburg development: 1927
  • Old & Historic Charleston District (HABS context): 1931
  • Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village: 1936
  • National Scenic Byways: 1991

Notable Sites and Figures (selection)

  • Paul Revere House, Boston (ca. 1670) – early preservation landmark; associated with SSPNEA/Appleton era preservation.
  • Westover, Virginia (ca. 1730-1734) – high-style Georgian residence.
  • Aspendale, Kenton vicinity, Delaware (ca. 1773) – vernacular example.
  • National Monuments (early designations): Devil's Tower, El Morro, Montezuma Castle; Castillo de San Marcos; Fort Matanzas; Fort Pulaski; Statue of Liberty.
  • Colonial Williamsburg (1927) – Rockefeller-driven restoration and interpretation.
  • Charleston Historic District (1931) – preservation planning, public buildings, and historic landscape.
  • Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village (1936) – industrial heritage preservation.

Concepts for quick recall

  • Intrinsic value of historic artifacts drives preservation beyond symbol status.
  • Legislation (1906) and federal ownership underpins national monuments and later park systems.
  • Large-scale public projects (Columbia Williamsburg, Charleston) demonstrate early model for combining preservation with education and tourism.
  • Living-history and industrial heritage become tools for interpretation and preservation practice.