Travel

Five One-of-a Kind Historic Places to Visit This Spring Break

Posted on: March 15th, 2013 by Adriana Gallegos 3 Comments

Ahh, spring break -- the perfect time to get away from the routine and just relax. But while students, teachers, and parents are counting down the days to freedom, it can be hard to find a destination that’s perfect for everyone.

The good news is, whether you are a nature-lover, foodie, or history hound, an unforgettable spring break experience can be found from coast to coast at the sites of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. (Also, all five sites are guaranteed to have sunny weather!) Which one is right for you?

Filoli Garden. Credit: National Trust for Historic Preservation
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Adriana Gallegos

Adriana Gallegos is the Blogger Outreach Manager working to inform bloggers and online influencers about the National Trust’s mission. In her free time she enjoys spending time with family both in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Burgos, Spain.

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History for All Seasons: Activities to Take You From Winter to Spring

Posted on: March 8th, 2013 by Priya Chhaya

New York Hall of Science. Credit: bondidwhat, flickr
New York Hall of Science

February is an admirable month. Long past the tinkle of holiday cheer, it encourages gatherings near the hearth, warm drinks in hand, with vistas of hibernating landscapes and stillness. Yet it can feel hum-drum, too; long past the eagerness of a New Year, it becomes a revolving door of sleep, work, eat, sleep.

Thankfully, my February wasn’t completely devoid of historical inspiration:... Read More →

Priya Chhaya

Priya Chhaya is an Online Content Coordinator in the Preservation Division at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. A public historian at heart, she sees history wherever she goes and believes that it is an important part of the American identity.

High Tide for Modernism in Rehoboth Beach?

Posted on: February 26th, 2013 by Guest Writer 1 Comment

Written by Arnold Berke, Rehoboth homeowner and Contributing Editor at Preservation magazine

This article originally appeared in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth.

Modernism style in North Shores, Rehobeth Beach. Credit: Arnold Berke
A modern home in North Shores

On the main drag of North Shores stands a gorgeous house.

I love its simple form (two tall boxes joined by a recessed “hyphen” and topped with a flat roof), colors (a soft grey set off by mustard, red, and black), lack of embellishment, and the way its slightly irregular arrangement of windows, doors, and decks pulls the composition back from total symmetry. The house is crisp and witty, and, despite four garage doors at ground level, seems to float over the landscape. The place makes me smile.

But tell people I’m smitten, and they give me a look of lemon-sucking disdain that even Violet, Dowager Duchess of Grantham in Downton Abbey, would be hard-put to surpass: head canted back and twisted, lips tightly pursed, eyes widened into saucers of disbelief.... Read More →

Although we're always on the lookout for blog content, we encourage readers to submit story ideas or let us know if you've seen something that might be interesting and engaging for a national audience. Email us at editorial@savingplaces.org.

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A Comeback on Terpsichore Street: Restoring Professor Longhair’s New Orleans Home

Posted on: February 11th, 2013 by Katherine Flynn

Professor Longhair’s house on Terpsichore St. in New Orleans.

New Orleans bassist Reggie Scanlan describes the 1970s comeback of R&B piano legend Professor Longhair as “a convergence of a lot of happenstance things.” Professor Longhair had recorded a number of hits in the ‘40s and early ‘50s; his significant musical talent, however, couldn’t always pay the rent. But “Fess,” as he was affectionately known, was given a slot on the roster of the newly-minted New Orleans Jazz Festival in 1971, and was poised to do some of his best work to date.

“With the reemergence of Fess, we were all scrambling to find records,” says Scanlan, who was in his late teens at the time. “We had never heard anything like this.”

Longhair, whose given name was Henry Roeland Byrd, passed away in 1980, after releasing a new album and making plans to tour with The Clash. Restoration is currently underway on his dilapidated duplex on Terpsichore (TERP-sih-kor) Street in New Orleans, and the house’s comeback, once complete, may be just as impressive as when Fess took the stage in ’71.... Read More →

Katherine Flynn

Katherine Flynn is an editorial assistant at Preservation magazine. Her work has appeared online at the Washington Post and in Consequence of Sound, a music and culture blog.

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Preservation Vacation: Rock Rest, A Home Away From Home

Posted on: January 24th, 2013 by Lauren Walser 1 Comment

A postcard of Rock Rest in its heyday in 1959, given to guests as a souvenir.

As a teenager, Valerie Cunningham spent two summers helping family friends Clayton and Hazel Sinclair run their small inn in Kittery, Maine.

Rock Rest, as the guesthouse was called, provided accommodations and home-cooked meals during the summer months to African-American travelers at a time when de facto segregation in the North made it difficult for them to access hotels, restaurants, and many other public places.

For scores of vacationers, it was a safe and relaxing haven near the water. For Cunningham, it was an inspiration.... Read More →