LAX Theme building at night. Credit: Thomas Hawk, Flickr
LAX Theme building at night

Every now and then, when I tell someone I live in Los Angeles and work for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, I’ll get a perplexing response: “What’s historic in Los Angeles? What is there to preserve?”

Where to begin?

For the next couple months, I will point any skeptics I meet to the current Getty initiative, Pacific Standard Time Presents: Modern Architecture in L.A.

Following on the heels of the expansive Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A., 1945-1980, the 2011-12 Getty initiative that examined the birth of the city’s art scene, this latest collaborative event is slightly smaller in scope, with 11 exhibitions at nine different venues throughout the region, plus an array of programming and events hosted by leading cultural institutions, including biking, driving, and walking tours; lectures and panel discussions; performances; films; and more.

And all to celebrate Southern California’s modern architectural heritage.... Read More →

 

We started you off on a cross-country road trip with Summer Travel Part 1. Now we're revving our engines for the next leg, which sees us passing through the “Cradle of American Culture” to the Badlands out West.


... Read More →

 

Miami's Art Deco hotels by night. Photo courtesy Sarah Heffern.
Miami's Art Deco hotels by night

For quite some time now, I've had a Sunday morning ritual. I get up about 8:45, make some coffee and peanut butter toast, grab my iPhone, and settle into my couch to watch -- and live-tweet -- CBS Sunday Morning with my friends Alison and Jenna. This past Sunday, however, was much more exciting than usual, because it quickly became clear that the episode's "design" theme was heavily laced with historic preservation.... Read More →

 

This summer, you don't need to seek something exotic and adventurous abroad. The U.S. has plenty of adventures close at hand, from the storied Boston Harbor to a historic village in Ohio to the bridges of Yosemite Valley.

Just as with the places we recommended for spring break travel, the sites we’ve selected for your summer travel pleasure tell a unique story about our American history. Unfortunately, these places are also threatened by neglect, insufficient funds, inappropriate development or insensitive public policy, but your enthusiasm about discovering them can inspire more people to visit and preserve them as well.

Yes, simply experiencing these places firsthand can have a lasting positive impact. So what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and get out of here!

... Read More →

 

Residence of Hon. John Goetz Jr. c. 1890. Credit: Save Clifton Heights
Residence of Hon. John Goetz Jr., c. 1890

A 19th-century mansion in Cincinnati’s Clifton Heights neighborhood faces possible demolition, and local residents and university students have banded together in an effort to save it.... Read More →