Damage to an outdoor wall at Oatlands in Virginia.

Updated to include statement from National Trust President Stephanie Meeks.

As someone who has lived in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic my entire life, I can honestly say I've never seen a one-two punch like the earthquake/hurricane combination of the past week. It was a bumpy (literally and metaphorically) ride, but one - I am happy to report - the National Trust rode out with little damage.

We've reached out from our offices here in DC to the National Trust Historic Sites in impacted areas, and it looks like damage was minimal from both events. The sites in Virginia - Belle Grove, Montpelier, Oatlands, and Woodlawn/Pope-Leighey - made it through both events largely unscathed, save for some cracking, and a tumbled wall at Oatlands. Our DC sites - Decatur House, President Lincoln's Cottage, and Woodrow Wilson House (not to mention our beloved headquarters building) - also made it though the week just fine.

In hearing from our sites in the Northeast, the most severely impacted by Hurricane Irene was the Philip Johnson Glass House in New Canaan, CT. While the structures and grounds were not damaged, the site is closed for a few days due to power outages and travel difficulties. Keep an eye on their website for updates and schedules as they deal with the aftermath of the storm. Any visitors with tickets for tours tomorrow or Friday (August 31 and September 2) may exchange them at no cost for a date later in the year.

Lyndhurst and Kykuit, both located overlooking the Hudson Valley weathered Irene with only a bit of damage to their trees, and Chesterwood in western Massachusetts fared similarly.

We know, of course, that we were extremely fortunate that our sites made it through back-to-back natural disasters with little harm, and that not all places (historic and non) were so lucky. Various members of our staff are in touch with their colleagues at our statewide and local partners as they make assessments of the damage to their communities and buildings, and will provide expertise and assistance as requested. We'll have an update with news from our partners later in the week.

If your home or business was damaged by either the earthquake or Hurricane Irene, please take a look at our resources for older and historic buildings. There is a great deal of useful information there on recovering from natural disasters.

This afternoon, National Trust for Historic Preservation President Stephanie Meeks issued a statement that said, in part:

“The loss and damage to historic properties and communities due to Hurricane Irene has been one of the many regrettable outcomes of this storm. The East Coast has some of the oldest historic Main Streets and buildings which are already a scarce resource.

...

“Where possible, every effort should be made to restore and save historic places devastated by Irene. It is critical the recovery efforts of communities along the East Coast take into account the significance of displaced people returning home to places that are not only healthy and vibrant, but familiar. Historic places contribute to the distinctive character that identifies and defines our communities.

The full statement is available here.

Share your stories in the comments field below.

Sarah Heffern is a member of the Digital and New Media team at the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Sarah Heffern is the social media strategist for the National Trust’s Digital and New Media team. While she embraces all things online and pixel-centric, she’s also a hard-core building hugger, having fallen for preservation in a fifth grade “Built Environment” class.

• Twitter
|
• More Posts (135)