Latest Blog Posts
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“Preserving heritage in different ways” – The Story of Yesler Terrace
Walking around Yesler Terrace, the first public housing project in both Seattle and Washington State, I’m drawn to its story. Having climbed the steep grade of Yesler Way from Pioneer Square, I find the location of this place is central, and it’s importance to Seattle, even moreso. As the first fully-racially integrated housing project in […]
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This (Chicago)Land: and ode to the history of public housing in Chicago
On the 75th Anniversary of the timeless folk song “This Land is your Land” by Woody Guthrie. Apart from reflecting the times in which it was written, its simplicity, accessibility, and catchy-ness all have allowed Americans to think more broadly of what “This Land” means as we continual forge an ever-changing national identity. Taking pen […]
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When Preservation Fails: A Tribute to Kalakala
I had so many other things to do, but the only thing I could do was print. As a printmaker by avocation, it’s not often I pick up a block and gouge and let my creativity run wild. The Kalakala, the “Landmark of the Sound” was one such an occasion. Documenting my project via Twitter, […]
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In Savannah: Views on Diversity in Preservation before the National Preservation Conference
This year for the National Preservation Conference PastForward I took the train from Chicago en route to Savannah. Passing through our nation’s capital, and now, Charleston, I can’t help but take stock in just how large, varied, and wonderful the United States is in both its cultural and its natural diversity. My first time in […]
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The Secret to Community Resilience
Do you love the community you live in? Have you ever wondered why some neighborhoods last a hundred years while others fall by the wayside? Read on to unlock the secret to community resilience. Furnace of Affliction According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “resilient” is used to describe the capacity of materials, like iron or cotton. Resilient: […]
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The Importance of Memory: What Día de los muertos can teach “Preservation”
The holiday Día de los muertos, or Day of the Dead, is Mexico’s largest holiday import to the United States and most colorful entry point into Mexican culture. The Day of the Dead festivities center around the family altar which pays memory to loved ones past. Based in pre-Columbian traditions with a healthy amount of […]