History of Historic Preservation in the U S
THE HISTORY OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THE U.S. Historic preservation is more than just fixing up old buildings. It has many aspects and it is complicated and reflects many influences – history (both of the US and of other areas), type and philosophy of government, size of the country, and cultural diversity. Early preservation in the US was closely linked to the establishment of a national identity and focused on those sites that were linked to early settlement and the independence movement. Interestingly though, despite the emphasis on national identity and the concentration on sites important in the creation of the country, governments were not involved in those early preservation efforts – these were the efforts of private individuals and groups interested in identifying and focusing the national identity. ... And the perspective was skewed – early preservation activities were undertaken primarily by white Anglo-Saxons who naturally saw the white Anglo-Saxon aspect of the history of the US as the most important part.