Historic preservation, which started as a grassroots movement, now represents the cutting edge in a cultural revolution focused on “green” architecture and sustainability. This is the only book to cover the gamut of preservation issues in layman’s language: the philosophy and history of the movement, the role of government, the documentation and designation of historic properties, sensitive architectural designs and planning, preservation technology, and heritage tourism, plus a survey of architectural styles. It is an ideal introduction to the field for students, historians, preservationists, property owners, local officials, and community leaders. Updated throughout, this revised edition addresses new subjects, including heritage tourism and partnering with the environmental community.

This classic text covers the gamut of preservation issues in layman’s language. Historic preservation, which started as a grassroots movement, now represents the cutting edge in a cultural revolution focused on “green” architecture and sustainability. This book provides comprehensive coverage of the many facets of historic preservation: the philosophy and history of the movement, the role of government, the documentation and designation of historic properties, sensitive architectural designs and planning, preservation technology, and heritage tourism, plus a survey of architectural styles. An ideal introduction to the field for students, historians, preservationists, property owners, local officials, and community leaders, this thoroughly revised edition addresses new subjects, including heritage tourism and partnering with the environmental community. It also includes updated case studies to reflect the most important historic preservation issues of today; and brings the conversation into the twenty-first century.

Surveying the past, present and future of historic preservation in America, this text features 15 essays by some of the most eminent voices in the field, essays which highlight the principle ideas and events that have shaped and continue to shape the movement.

"William Murtagh, the first Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places, presents an effective portrait of the preservation movement by looking into the values underlying the efforts to safeguard America's architectural heritage, including the development of legislation and court action. A section on the National Trust for Historic Preservation explains how this private, non-profit organization created in the 1940s has expanded its services and goals parallel with changes in the national preservation movement." -- Back cover.

A one-of-a-kind, step-by-step guide to compiling an HSR—a document crucial to every professional working on a historic property. Any architect, engineer, or preservation professional renovating a historic property must be familiar with the historic structure report (HSR)—a document that evaluates all aspects of a property to minimize damage during restoration. The only book of its kind, this practical guide walks readers through the process of compiling an HSR. From gathering historical and archival data about the property to analyzing its structural, mechanical, and electrical components to assessing the state of its interior finish, including wood, masonry, and metals, this book covers all the nuts and bolts of an expertly written, informative HSR. Explaining what information should be included in each section and how investigators can work together effectively as a team to produce a comprehensive, coherent report, this handbook is one no professional should be without.

In this volume, some of the leading figures in the field have been brought together to write on the roots of the historic preservation movement in the United States, ranging from New York to Santa Fe, Charleston to Chicago. Giving Preservation a History explores the long history of historic preservation: how preservation movements have taken a leading role in shaping American urban space and development; how historic preservation battles have reflected broader social forces; and what the changing nature of historic preservation means for efforts to preserve national, urban, and local heritage. The second edition adds several new essays addressing key developing areas in the field by major new voices. The new essays represent the broadening range of scholarship on historic preservation generated since the publication of the first edition, taking better account of the role of cultural diversity and difference within the field while exploring the connections between preservation and allied concerns such as environmental sustainability, LGBTQ and nonwhite identity, and economic development.

In 1966, American historic preservation was transformed by the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act, which created a National Register of Historic Places. Now comprising more than 1.4 million historic properties across the country, the National Register is the official federal list of places in the United States thought to be worthy of preservation. One of the fundamental principles of the National Register is that every property is evaluated according to a standard set of criteria that provide the framework for understanding why a property is significant in American history. The origins of these criteria are important because they provide the threshold for consideration by a broad range of federal preservation programs, from planning for continued adaptive use, to eligibility for grants, and inclusion in heritage tourism and educational programs. Crafting Preservation Criteria sets out these preservation criteria for students, explaining how they got added to the equation, and elucidating the test cases that allowed for their use. From artworks to churches, from 'the fifty year rule' to 'the historic scene', students will learn how places have been historically evaluated to be placed on the National Register, and how the criteria evolved over time.