Trust News

César E. Chávez Site Declared a National Monument

Posted on: October 9th, 2012 by Gwendolyn Purdom 1 Comment

In front of a jubilant crowd of thousands yesterday morning, President Obama declared the home of labor leader César Chávez and the national headquarters of the United Farm Workers Union a National Monument.

The Keene, Calif. site, known as Nuestra Senora Reina de La Paz (or simply La Paz), is closely associated with unprecedented gains Chávez and the union secured between 1970 and 1984. Upon his death in 1993, Chávez was buried at La Paz.

“The National Trust for Historic Preservation believes the designation of a César Chávez National Monument is an important first step toward a more comprehensive celebration of the life and legacy of César Chávez and his contributions to the farm labor movement,” National Trust President Stephanie Meeks said in a statement. “We applaud the President’s selection of the La Paz property as a National Monument. La Paz is one of several historic sites identified by the National Park Service related to César Chávez that depicts an important but underrepresented aspect of our nation’s history.”

The César E. Chávez National Monument is the fourth national monument the President has designated. The Antiquities Act of 1906 gives the president authority to designate monuments as a way to protect “objects of historic or scientific interest.” During his administration, President Obama has also designated national monuments at Fort Ord in California, as well as Virginia’s Fort Monroe and Colorado’s Chimney Rock, both National Trust National Treasures.

A total of 16 presidents and Congress have used the Act to establish more than 100 national monuments, with Bill Clinton creating the most (19). George W. Bush designated six during his administration, including Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, the largest national monument at nearly 90 million acres. These sites are managed by various agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the Forest Service.

The designation of La Paz is especially timely, Meeks pointed out, as it is occurring during National Hispanic Heritage Month. In her statement, she also emphasized that the National Trust is committed to continuing collaborative work with the National Park Service and its American Latino Heritage Initiative.

“Today, La Paz joins a long line of national monuments -- stretching from the Statue of Liberty to the Grand Canyon -- monuments that tell the story of who we are as Americans,” President Obama said at yesterday’s ceremony. “It's a story of natural wonders and modern marvels; of fierce battles and quiet progress. But it's also a story of people -- of determined, fearless, hopeful people who have always been willing to devote their lives to making this country a little more just and a little more free.”

César Chávez's memorial garden and burial site.

National Trust Advisor Luis G. Hoyos attended yesterday’s ceremony in Keene and said: “I noticed a lot of us were Latinos, of course; we come in all shapes and sizes. But on a closer look I saw old Latinos, men, veterans, what appeared to be former farm workers, dressed modestly and hanging on to canes, wheelchairs, a wife, a banner of the Virgen de Guadalupe. Those faces will be with me for some time.”

Also in attendance was National Trust Advisor Donna Graves, who commented: “Hats, t-shirts and buttons among the crowd testified to long-standing commitment to labor organizing and the United Farm Workers. President Obama’s appearance swelled the heartfelt joy of many gathered in knowing that finally their herencia, their heritage, was being honored at the highest level.”

And for the National Trust’s vice president of historic sites, Estevan Rael-Gálvez, attending the dedication ceremony was moving professionally and personally:

“As I breathed in the air of La Paz at the end of the day, I remembered that back home, elders always remind us that ‘wherever we go, we leave our breath behind us.’ The spirit of this place -- surrounded by rolling hills, nearly 200 acres, 26 buildings and structures that were/are home and headquarters for the United Farm Workers and their families -- can equally be felt in the breath of those who remain dedicated to the work of social justice and those whose breath has been left behind as well. Chávez was certainly there today; he was in the slope of the hills, the dust from the road, and he was in the hands and faces of every individual who has ever longed for civil rights and social justice.”

Gwendolyn Purdom

Gwendolyn Purdom is an associate editor at Preservation magazine. A Chicago native, Gwendolyn is passionate about the people and stories behind historic places – the quirkier the better.

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Chimney Rock to be Designated a National Monument

Posted on: September 19th, 2012 by National Trust for Historic Preservation 1 Comment

Today, we learned that the 4,726-acre Puebloan ancestral landscape in the mountains of southwestern Colorado known as Chimney Rock will reportedly be designated a National Monument by President Obama this Friday.

The roughly 1,000-year-old remains of a Chacoan Indian settlement, Chimney Rock will be the third National Monument established by President Obama and joins the likes of the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon. Of great spiritual significance to more than 20 Pueblos and other Native American tribes, it is one of the most culturally significant places managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

“Chimney Rock helps us understand the story of the Chacoans, ancestors of modern Pueblo Indians, most of whom do not have a written history,” says Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “Their history is written on the landscape, in the structures and in traditional cultural practices at places like Chimney Rock.”

More than 200 residential, ceremonial, and other structures were built on the mesa overlooking the two stone spires known as Chimney Rock and Companion Rock. A multi-story structure known as the Great House Pueblo was likely built specifically for viewing the moon rise directly between the spires during the lunar standstill, an astrological event that occurs every 18.6 years.

The Chacoans, who are believed to be among North America’s first farmers, also used the spires and their own buildings to track the sun and calculate the onset of the short growing season.

The effort to designate Chimney Rock as a National Monument began in 2009, and over the next several years, Colorado congressional members in both the House and Senate sponsored bills on its behalf.

As a continued disagreement in the Senate over public lands legislation again stymied success this spring, Colorado senators Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, along with Representative Scott Tipton, sent a letter asking President Obama to begin discussions with the local community about the use of his powers under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to designate the monument.

The area was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and since 1988 has been maintained by the Forest Service. The Chimney Rock Interpretative Association, a small group of volunteers, was granted with a special use permit by the Forest Service to help maintain the area, perform archeological work, and give public tours each year between May 15 and September 30.

The designation will likely provide additional funding for the site’s preservation and further protect the site from development with a legal preservation mandate.

Addressing the benefits of today’s news, Senator Bennet also pointed out that “tourism is one of [Colorado’s] leading economic drivers, and (the) National Monument designation for Chimney Rock (will) provide a tremendous boost for the economy in the region.”

A study released by the Trust in early July supports Senator Bennet’s statement, indicating that following national monument designation, the number of annual visitors to the site will likely grow from an average of 12,000 to 24,000 over the next five years and will contribute $2.4 million to the local economy annually.

“In a very tangible way, preserving Chimney Rock helps to weave our multicultural nation together,” says Meeks.

National Trust for Historic Preservation

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded non-profit organization, works to save America's historic places.

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Remembering Tony Goldman: Developer, Entrepreneur, and Ardent Preservationist

Posted on: September 13th, 2012 by National Trust for Historic Preservation 3 Comments

Tony Goldman outside SoHo, a community he helped reinvent.

Most people are considered successful if they excel in even one area. Tony Goldman excelled in many: historic property developer, restaurateur, hotelier, and a leader in the historic preservation movement.

Goldman, who passed away in New York City on Tuesday, was a current board member of the National Trust Community Investment Corporation and a former Trustee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For 40 years, he recognized the potential of depressed, undervalued urban areas, and through thoughtful, preservation-sensitive approaches, reconstructed and transformed declining historic districts into popular, thriving global destinations.

A true visionary, Goldman has been acknowledged as one of the pioneers of New York’s Upper West Side resurgence and the driving force behind the transformations of New York City’s Wall Street Financial District and SoHo neighborhoods; Center City in Philadelphia; South Beach in Miami Beach; and most recently, undertaking the transformation of the warehouse districts in Miami’s Wynwood and Downtown Boston.

Former board chair J. Clifford Hudson and National Trust President Stephanie Meeks present the Crowninshield Award to Tony Goldman.

Through it all, Goldman was committed to revitalizing and creating mixed-use, pedestrian-based, urban neighborhoods that enhanced an authentic sense of place. For this commitment, as well as the breadth of his work, the National Trust honored Goldman in 2010 with the Louise duPont Crowninshield Award, the highest national award for excellence in historic preservation.

In her statement on Goldman's passing, National Trust President Stephanie Meeks said: “At its core, preservation is about recognizing the value of historic buildings and neighborhoods, and restoring life to places that define and enrich our communities. That is what Tony Goldman did, and nobody did it better. And though he will be deeply missed, we are grateful for his many contributions to historic preservation and his lasting legacy of transformed communities.”

Learn more about Goldman's preservation work and watch a short video here.

National Trust for Historic Preservation

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded non-profit organization, works to save America's historic places.

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Go In-Depth with the Preservation Leadership Forum Blog

Posted on: September 7th, 2012 by Julia Rocchi

Knowledge is power. And in the field of preservation, more knowledge can mean more places saved.

For all our readers who want to deepen their understanding of the latest preservation research, tools, and trends, you have a terrific new resource at your disposal: the Preservation Leadership Forum Blog.

The Forum Blog is the latest benefit from Preservation Leadership Forum, a network of preservation leaders -- professionals, students, volunteers, activists, experts -- who share the latest ideas, information, and advice, and have access to in-depth materials and training. (Learn about all Forum benefits here.)

Where Preservation Nation goes broad, spotlighting a wide variety of people and places around the U.S., the Forum Blog goes deep with rich, timely content that's "just a little wonky." In its own words:

Our goal is to be your filter -- providing well-researched articles, preservation news and analysis, advocacy information, and links to important stories. The blog is also a place for you to share your viewpoints and hear from colleagues across the country. We hope it will spur discussion and inspire solutions to critical preservation challenges.

We encourage you to check it out, comment, and share it as a resource with others doing the good work of preservation.

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.

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National Trust Declines to Renew Stables’ Current Lease as it Considers Future Options for Historic Woodlawn Property

Posted on: August 31st, 2012 by National Trust for Historic Preservation 12 Comments

We've written about the threats to our Woodlawn historic property before, and wanted to keep you updated on the latest news about the site.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is considering two alignment options for widening Route 1 in Northern Virginia, adjacent to Fort Belvoir -- and both of these alternatives would negatively impact the historic resources on the Woodlawn historic property, a National Historic Landmark site owned by the National Trust.

A privately-owned for profit business, Scanlin Farms, Inc., leases land and barns on Woodlawn -- and although Scanlin Farms’ current lease isn't due to expire until 2016, its representatives have asked the National Trust to commit to extending the current lease beyond 2016. The following is a statement by David J. Brown, executive vice president and chief preservation officer of the National Trust:

“The National Trust’s primary focus is to preserve the National Historic Landmark and to support the long-term sustainability of our historic sites, including Woodlawn and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House. As such, the National Trust must consider the best use of its property at the Woodlawn historic site in order to meet our obligations as stewards of the property and our buildings housed on the site.

“As a responsible organization, we are focused on Woodlawn’s future as a vibrant historic site, which includes consideration of all options for this land. Therefore, we will not renew Scanlin Farms’ current lease that expires in 2016. The lease is not sustainable and extending it would not be a prudent business decision. Once the effects of the highway project on Woodlawn are better understood, the National Trust will consider all options for the property, including proposals from public or private parties.

“The decision we ultimately make with this property will be consistent with the highest preservation standards, the public’s interests and the protection of the historic resources. The National Trust wants to work with the local community and county, state and federal government agencies to ensure the protection of the valuable historic resources in the Woodlawn Historic District and maximize the best potential uses of the Woodlawn property and buildings.”