HAPPY PRESERVATION MONTH 2021!
Each year, preservationists around the country celebrate the places, people, and projects that have shaped our communities and that provide us all with a tangible connection to our past. Even though we may still not be able to get together in person to take a walking tour or visit our favorite historic site, we can still celebrate the places that matter to us. Throughout the month, we’ll be partnering with our Young Urban Preservationists (YUPs) to share some fun and educational resources that you can use (while social distancing) to celebrate Preservation Month.
Here’s a preview of what you can do to celebrate:
- Take one of our free Self Guided Landmark Walking Tours
- Visit a historic site in your area
- Eat at one of your local staple restaurants, or eat at a new restaurant in an old building
- Sign up for a class with our Young Urban Preservationists at the Rochester Brainery ( Beginner’s Guide to Old Houses )
- Go on an architectural scavenger hunt in your neighborhood (coming later this may!)
- Head to the YUPs new website to check out their latest blog posts and some cool old house Instagram pages you can follow
- Whether you’re an amateur architectural historian, a professional planner, a community activist, a local history buff, or you just want to get lost in a good novel, there are plenty of options. A few of our favorites are featured below
- Definitely do not forget to join in for the celebration of the 105th birthday of Jane Jacobs!
Stay tuned to our social media as we announce the above Preservation Month activities and more!
We also want to hear from YOU! Take pictures of your favorite historic places, post them on Instagram, tag us (@LandmarkSociety) and use the hashtag #PreservationMonthWNY. Let us know why these places are important to you and we may share your posts!
Landmarks of Western ny bingo!
Remember those books we mentioned? There are tons of preservation-related books, blogs, and podcasts out there. Whether you’re an amateur architectural historian, a professional planner, a community activist, a local history buff, or you just want to get lost in a good novel, there are plenty of options. A few of our favorites below:
- A Field Guide to American Houses, by Virginia McAlester- our #1 recommendation for anyone who wants to learn about the architectural styles that surround us (be sure to get the revised edition)
- The Death & Life of Great American Cities, by Jane Jacobs – A must-read for anyone interested in preservation and urban issues
- Rehab Rochester: A Sensible Guide for Old House Repair, Maintenance, and Rehabilitation, by Steve Jordan (free download on our website)
- The Window Sash Bible: A Guide to Maintaining and Restoring Old Wood Windows, by Steve Jordan
- Historic Preservation: An Introduction to Its History, Principles, and Practice (Third edition), by Norman Tyler PhD FAICP, Ilene R. Tyler FAIA FAPT, Ted J. Ligibel PhD.
- The Past and Future City, by Stephanie Meeks
- Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time, by Jeff Speck
- The Horse in the City: Living Machines in the 19th Century, by Clay McShane, Joel Tarr
- Main Street to Miracle Mile: American roadside architecture, by Chester Liebs
- The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America, by Erik Larson – A great work of historical fiction set during the 1893 Columbian Exposition, which set the stage for much of the architecture and urban planning of the early 20th century