ReadingsArt 297T/597AAHistory and Theory of Historic PreservationSpring 2005Thursdays 1:30 – 4:00Professor Max PageOffice: 452 Fine Arts Center 545-6952Email: [email protected] Hours: by appointmentThis course examines the history and theory of historic preservation, focusing on the United States, but with reference to traditions and practices in other countries. The course will give students a grounding in the history, theory and practice of historic preservation, but is not an applied, technical course. We will not, for example, be examining in great detail the practice of building conservation and restoration. The course is designed to examine the largely untold history of the historic preservation movement in this country, and explore what laws, public policies and cultural attitudes shape how we preserve or do not preserve the built environment. The course will also involve visits to historic preservation sites. Students will have the opportunity to pursue either a traditional research paper or an applied project. Graduates students from public history, as well as from architecture and landscape architecture and other disciplines are welcome. Readings The books for this course can be purchased at Food for Thought Books on North PleasantStreet. Other readings will be distributed via email, in class, or on the web. Books:Arnold Alanen and Robert Melnick, eds. Preserving Cultural Landscapes in AmericaDolores Hayden. The Power of Place: Urban Landscapes as Public HistoryBrian Ladd, The Ghosts of Berlin : Confronting German History in the Urban LandscapePage and Mason, Giving Preservation a History: Histories of Historic Preservation in theUnited StatesWalkowitz and Knauer, Memory and the Impact of Political Transformation in Public SpaceCourse Requirements1. Class Attendance and ParticipationA lecture class in which one doesn’t say a single word all semester might actually be enjoyable and intellectually stimulating, depending on the quality of the readings and lectures. A seminar, however, depends on the regular, informed, energetic participation of its members. I am strongly committed to encouraging everyone to participate in class discussions.2. Weekly CommentariesIn order to spark discussion, I would like each of you to email me, by midnight the night before class, a brief (no more than one page) series of questions or commentary about the topic and/or readings for that week. The weekly questionsand comments will not be graded, but you must do them (i.e. not submitting them will affect your grade).3. Short PapersThere are two short (2-4 pages) papers for the course.1. Historic building or landscapeI would like you to visit a significant historical building or place of your choice and write a paper evaluating that place, how it is or is not being preserved, and what the value of the place is. Due at the beginning of class, February 10 (or whenever that class is rescheduled).2. Amherst Historical CommissionI would like you to attend a regular public meeting of the Amherst Historical Commission and write a paper evaluating the meeting. What issues were covered, what particularly struck you, what the meeting says about how preservation is done. Due at the beginning of class, April 7.4. Group ProjectsThe heart of the course is the group project which you will spend the semester working on with two or three others. Each is a real historic preservation project and not “make work.” Each group will produce a final project that will be of great use to institutions and individuals who you will be assisting. You should read through the project and be prepared today to list which projects you would like to work on, in order of preference. I will decide the groups within a day or two and email the entire group and urge you to plan a group meeting immediately.You will present your findings to the group on May 12; the final projects will be due May 19, no extensions. Along with the document you will produce with the group, each of you will write a 10-page paper reflecting on the experience – the complexities, the frustrations, the excitement – of the group project.The projects are as follows:21. Historic District Nomination for the University of Massachusetts CampusFor many at UMass, our buildings hardly seem historic (or even very nice!). But, in fact, UMass has a number of buildings that are quite old, aswell as a number of modern structures that are by very important architects – Edward Durrell Stone, Marcel Breuer, Kevin Roche, among others. And the campus design itself reflects important mid-century ideas about how to design a campus. This group will prepare National Register nomination papers for a UMass historic district. You can get an early jump on how to do this by looking atthe links for our discussion on February 24. This involves researching the historic of the buildings, making an argument which ones are significant and why, and deciding the boundaries of the district, among other tasks. The cutting edge of historic preservation is figuring out what modern buildings (one’s that are getting to be almost 50 years old) deserve some form of protection.Contact: Jonathan Tucker, interim Director, Amherst Planning Department – [email protected]; 256-40402. An H.H. Richardson Train Station in HolyokeA train station in Holyoke by one of America’s most important architects (and considered one of the most important endangered historic sites in Massachusetts) is currently being used for the storage of auto parts. The goal of the group will be to develop a series of options for the private owner and for the city of Holyoke that might help preserve the building and develop more compatible and public uses for the station. This is what Preservation Massachusetts wrote announcing its inclusion of the station in its 2004 Ten Most Endangered Historic Resources: “The Connecticut River Railroad Station in Holyoke resulted from collaboration between H.H. Richardson and Frederick Law Olmstead to plan several train stations along the Boston-Albany and the Connecticut River lines. Designed by Richardson, himself, in his namesake style, the Holyoke structure is painstakingly engineered into its surrounding landscape and positioned to form an axis between the gateway welcoming immigrants to the city and Immaculate Conception, the neighborhood church (2003 Ten Most Endangered).” Contact: Jeff Hayden, economic development planner, City