Author Archive

Voices of Rosenwald Schools: Mabel Dickey Tells Mt. Zion’s Story

Posted on: February 13th, 2013 by Julia Rocchi 1 Comment

 

Mabel Dickey. Credit: National Trust for Historic Preservation/Clement
Mabel Dickey

Allow us to introduce you to Mabel Dickey. She's one of countless volunteers across the country who are tirelessly working to save Rosenwald Schools in their communities and preserve a compelling piece of African-American history.

Called the "most influential philanthropic force that came to the aid of Negroes at that time," the Rosenwald School Building Program began in 1912 and eventually provided seed grants for the construction of more than 5,300 buildings in 15 states, including schools, shops, and teachers' houses which were built by and for African-Americans.

Mabel was one of the students who benefited from this forward-thinking program. She attended the Mt. Zion Rosenwald School near Florence, SC for a brief period as a young child, and retired back to Florence as a adult. Today, she continues to fundraise so the school can be restored and used by the Mt. Zion Methodist Church and the surrounding community.

As one of our Voices of Rosenwald Schools interviewees, Mabel shared her memories, experiences, and lessons learned about this special place. Hear firsthand about her journey, and learn why she's not giving up on this little schoolhouse any time soon.... Read More →

Julia Rocchi

Julia Rocchi

Julia Rocchi is the managing editor for the National Trust. By day she wrangles content; by night (and weekends), she shops local, travels to story-rich places, and walks around looking up at buildings.

Tell Us How We Can Help You Save Places!

Posted on: January 30th, 2013 by Julia Rocchi

 

Partners in Preservation NYC 2012. Credit: National Trust for Historic Preservation

If you're reading this blog post right now, chances are you like saving places as much as we do. But we want to get to know you even better. We want to know why you save places, how you save places, and -- most importantly -- how we at the National Trust can help you do it.

So we've put together a quick and easy survey to find out what you need from us. Our short-term goal? To hear from 250 folks by this Friday, February 1. Our long-term goal? To be the best resource we can be for you in your quest to protect special places in your communities.

Close to 100 of you have already rang in -- thank you! That means only 150 left to go, which is easy as pie with such a passionate group. So if you haven't responded yet, please take a few minutes to share your thoughts via our Facebook survey. (And if you haven't friended us on Facebook yet, now's the perfect time!)

Thank you in advance for telling us more about your preservation goals and dreams. It's helping us help you -- and in turn helping all the places we treasure.

P.S. If you're opting to take the survey on your mobile device, please use this direct link instead. (Smart devices make the Facebook survey hiccup.) Thanks!

Julia Rocchi

Julia Rocchi

Julia Rocchi is the managing editor for the National Trust. By day she wrangles content; by night (and weekends), she shops local, travels to story-rich places, and walks around looking up at buildings.

[10 on Tuesday] Craft an Effective Communications Strategy for Your Preservation Project

Posted on: January 22nd, 2013 by Julia Rocchi 1 Comment

 

Over the next few months, we’ll be sharing a series of toolkits on managing communications for your preservation project. Public Affairs intern Sarah Coquillat kicks it off this week by showing you the big picture -- the full arc that a robust outreach campaign can take. We’ll dive into each of the steps in more detail going forward, but consider this a general checklist for whenever you’re preparing to take your project public.

Although all campaigns have different objectives, the overarching goal of any media campaign should be to successfully change the behavior of a targeted group. To achieve this, issues must be properly presented to the target audience.

A campaign to save a place can benefit greatly from well-run media outreach, providing an organization with one of its best opportunities to reach its intended audience. Publicly presenting an issue through the media can also help attract the attention of policy and other decision makers who may ultimately decide the outcome of your project.

But where do you start? And where should you end up? Here are 10 steps to building an effective communications strategy that can help take your preservation project over the finish line.... Read More →

Julia Rocchi

Julia Rocchi

Julia Rocchi is the managing editor for the National Trust. By day she wrangles content; by night (and weekends), she shops local, travels to story-rich places, and walks around looking up at buildings.

[10 on Tuesday] 10 Benefits of Establishing a Local Historic District

Posted on: January 15th, 2013 by Julia Rocchi 5 Comments

 

So you’ve decided you want to establish a local historic district and have considered where its boundaries should be. Now comes perhaps the hardest part: getting your community to buy into the idea.

Shaping local sentiment and opinions is always a complex task, and planning a local historic district is no exception. While the preservation community understands and appreciates its benefits, not everybody might feel as enthusiastic about it. What’s more, all the local stakeholders -- homeowners, government officials, merchants, and property owners -- will endorse, change, or reject proposals depending on how well they understand the issues involved.

So it’s up to the district advocates to make a clear and compelling case about the advantages of a local historic district. Not only will it increase community awareness, but it can also help avoid controversy later by building consensus now.

Here are 10 points you can share with your community stakeholders about what establishing a local historic district will bring to your area.... Read More →

Julia Rocchi

Julia Rocchi

Julia Rocchi is the managing editor for the National Trust. By day she wrangles content; by night (and weekends), she shops local, travels to story-rich places, and walks around looking up at buildings.

[Interview] Rebecca Buntrock, Preservation Engineer and Building Guardian Angel

Posted on: December 13th, 2012 by Julia Rocchi 3 Comments

 


Rebecca Buntrock observing roof construction at the UVA Jefferson's Rotunda, part of her work as a preservation engineer at Robert Silman Associates.

Usually when people have a big fix-it project on their to-do list, they borrow tools and supplies. At the National Trust, we borrow preservation engineers.

Meet Rebecca Buntrock, our 2012 Robert Silman Fellow for Preservation Engineering. This six-month position is sponsored by Rebecca's employer, Robert Silman Associates (RSA), a firm known nationwide for their special expertise in the engineering of historic buildings, with notable preservation projects including the Guggenheim, Fallingwater, and Ellis Island.

During her tenure at the National Trust, Rebecca worked closely with our Historic Sites department on cool projects at a number of sites, including:... Read More →

Julia Rocchi

Julia Rocchi

Julia Rocchi is the managing editor for the National Trust. By day she wrangles content; by night (and weekends), she shops local, travels to story-rich places, and walks around looking up at buildings.