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Historic Preservation Home > Syllabi > 100 Level Courses > HISP 102-03 Preserving Historic America

UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON
DEPARTMENT OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION
HISP 102-03 PRESERVING HISTORIC AMERICA
Spring Semester 2008

 

Mr. Stanton
MWF 9-9:50am
Combs Hall, 139

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Historic Preservation 102, Preserving Historic America, surveys the history of historic preservation and the practice of preservation with an emphasis on the method and theory of recording and interpreting historic sites and structures, objects and districts, using the analytical tools of history, architectural history, social history, and archaeology.  This is the second semester of the introductory courses for the preservation major.

CLASS REQUIREMENTS

TEXTS
The following books are required and will be available in the College Bookstore:

Robert E. Stipe, editor. A Richer Heritage: Preservation in the Twenty-First Century.  Chapel Hill and London: University of North Carolina Press, 2003.

Web Page materials: The course will have a web page and materials available through Blackboard, the College course presentation software. These pages include additional readings for particular course content and will include links to websites that will be discussed in class, expanded explanations of assignments, and to communicate with the instructor. Please treat these materials as required reading and come to class prepared to discuss their content.

TESTS
There will be two tests: Test 1, Monday, February 25th, and Test 2, Monday, March 31st, with fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice and essay questions concerning basic terms, concepts or events from class lectures, field trips, or required readings.  There will also be a final examination at the end of the semester on Monday, April 28th at 8:30a.m.

OUT-OF-CLASS ASSIGNMENTS

No Collaborative Work is Allowed on Any Written Assignments!!
Evidence of collaboration is an honor code offense.  All written assignments are due at the beginning of the class period.  Each assignment should be double-spaced with one inch margins, left and right, top and bottom.  Please number the pages consecutively. Where necessary include endnotes on a separate page of the assignment.  The endnote page does not count as a page in an assignment of specified length.  Thus a three page paper which requires citations would be three pages of text plus a page of endnotes.  Do not include a separate bibliography in these assignments, but the endnote for each cited source must include specific page numbers from which information was taken.  The assignment grade will be reduced if source page numbers are not included.

All out-of-class assignments are listed and further explanation provided on the class web page.

Out-of-Class Assignment #1.  City block #36 (current number) of the Fredericksburg Historic District is bounded by Amelia Street on the north, Caroline Street on the east, William Street on the south and Princess Anne Street on the west, a copy of the Sanborn Map shows the plan of that block as it appeared in 1886.  Based on your personal inspection of the block, historic maps, city directories, and photographs follow the evolution of the buildings from what is shown on the 1886 map with that block today.  Many of these resources are available electronically and are linked to our class web page. Write a three-page paper describing: (a.) the major similarities of the block as shown on the map and as your see it today; and (b.) changes that have occurred in that block between the time the map was made and the present.  Your paper should include your analysis of which buildings shown on the maps appear to be the same today, which buildings shown on the map appear to have been added to, which buildings shown on the map appear to have been demolished, and which building on the block today appear to have been built since the date of the map.  Analyze from the information on the maps and from your study of the block today how uses of the buildings changed and what decades saw rapid change in form or use. What are the uses there today? Estimate how many people were and are living and working on the block?  What social, economic, cultural, or technological factors have produced the differences between the block at the time the map was made and now?  Out-of-Class Assignment #1 is due Friday February 29th.

Out-of-Class Assignment #2.  Much of the professional work of preservation is the creation and application of consistent standards within a community.  The Fredericksburg Architectural Review Board was created to apply the preservation standards that are part of the city ordinances.  An individual homeowner makes application and presents changes that she wishes to make.  The Board, working with the local guidelines, provides a certificate of appropriateness.  To complete this project you will need to attend an architectural review board meeting.  The March meeting will be held on Monday March 10th at 7:30pm in the City Council chambers at the City Building on the southeast corner of Princess Anne and Hanover streets.  Choose one of the applicants on that evening and type a short report of no more than three pages concerning the nature of the proposed change, what kind of questions did the Board ask, and what their decision was.  Review The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings and the Historic District Handbook prepared by the Office of Planning and Development of the City of Fredericksburg discuss which standards of rehabilitation where being tested.  Finally, decide whether the Board acted in accordance with the Secretary of Interior's Standards, or outside of those guidelines.  Give reasons for your conclusion.  Out-of-Class Assignment #2 is due in class on Friday, March 21st.

Out-of-Class Assignment #3.  How spaces in a building are organized for use and by whom is as important as the building's physical appearance.  Prepare a typed, three-page, double-spaced report, titled “A Place Though Another’s Eyes.”  Lead an older relative or friend through a description of the use of his or her childhood residence [house, apartment, mobile home, tent].  This must be a place you have never been.  Take notes on the interview.  Ask your relative or friend, using open-ended questions, to describe how one entered the structure and circulated in the building.  Where did the inhabitants gather for meals, entertain important visitors, and gather to relax just by themselves?  Were there special places reserved for a particular family member, or for special occasions?  In your report first describe your relationship with your friend or relative [mother, roommate, co-worker, whatever] and the location where the interviews took place.  Then summarize your interview[s]' findings by describing the location of the property, its living spaces and how the inhabitant's activities used the rooms.  Because you have never visited this building, little of your description will use the first person.  Conclude the assignment commenting on the ways the oral history gave you a different picture of the use and significance of the structure than you would have pictured from visiting the structure and writing an architectural description without benefit of the oral history.  Out-of-Class Assignment #3 is due in class Wednesday, April 23th

GRADING:
Letter grade descriptions and quality point conversions quoted below are taken from the Academic Catalog.  This and the Dictionary of Academic Regulations should be consulted for further explanation of these and all other grading details and other academic regulations.  When numerical grades are used in computation, I use the following equivalents:
below 60    F    0.00 quality points                      80-82         B-   2.70 quality points
60-66         D    1.00 quality points                      83-86         B    3.00 quality points
67-69         D+  1.30 quality points                      87-89         B+  3.30 quality points
70-72         C-   1.70 quality points                      90-93         A-   3.70 quality points
73-76         C    2.00 quality points                      94-100       A    4.00 quality points
77-79         C+  2.30 quality points

FINAL GRADE
Please note: No passing grade can be achieved in this course without completion of all tests, final examination and out-of-class graded assignments.  Your final grade will be based on the following scores--Test I, 20%; Test II, 25%; Out-of-Class Assignment #1 10%, Out-of-Class Assignment #2 10%, Out-of-Class Assignment #3 10%; Final Examination 25%. The Out-of-Class Assignments will be marked down by a letter grade (10 points) if handed in later than the beginning of class on the date due.  The project will also be marked down by a letter grade (10 points) if there are more than an average of two errors per page in spelling, grammar or punctuation.

MY OFFICE HOURS: 
Monday           1:00-1:45
Tuesday           2:00-2:30 
Wednesday   1:00-1:45
Thursday          2:00-2:30
Friday             1:00-1:45
OFFICE
Combs 128
Phone: 654-1313
I am happy to make an appointment to see you at some specific time that suits your needs--ask me in class, or write me an email message at <gstanton@umw.edu>

SCHEDULE OF CLASS MEETINGS, TOPICS AND ASSIGNMENTS

This class schedule tells you how we will proceed with our discussion of historic preservation.  I reserve the right to alter the topic of any lecture, but the day on which tests, papers and books are scheduled will not be changed.

I.  PLANNING THE FUTURE

Monday 14 January 2008
Distribute syllabus and course requirements.

Wednesday 16 January 2008
Why Preserve?
Required Reading:  Richer Heritage: Preface; Prologue. Pp. vii—xv.

Friday 18 January 2008
Historic Preservation: A Quick History Lesson
Required Reading: “America’s Preservation Ethos: A Tribute to Enduring Ideals.” Pp.1—20.

II. PRESERVATION FUNDAMENTALS

Monday 21 January 2008
Government in the American Style
Required Reading: “Some Preservation Fundamentals.” Pp. 23—29.

Wednesday 23 January 2008
The Preservation Process
            Required Reading: “Some Preservation Fundamentals.” Pp. 29—32.

Friday 25 January 2008
Market Values in Preservation
Required Reading: “Some Preservation Fundamentals.” Pp. 32—34. “The Federal Preservation Program.” Pp. 54—67. “Private Sector Involvement in Historic Preservation.” Pp. 279—311.

III. THE FEDERAL PRESERVATION PROGRAM

Monday 28 January 2008
Federal Preservation Activities: The Players
            Required Reading: “The Federal Preservation Program.” Pp. 35—40; “Preservation Law and Public Policy.” Pp. 159—170.

Wednesday 30 January 2008
The Role of the Federal Government in Preservation:  The National Register.
Required Reading: “The Federal Preservation Program.” Pp. 41—44. “How to Complete the National Register Form.” (http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/publications/bulletins/nrb16a/)

Friday 1 February 2008
The Role of the Federal Government in Preservation:  The Section 106 Process
Required Reading: “The Federal Preservation Program.” Pp. 45—54. “Section 106 Regulations Users Guide” (http://www.achp.gov/106summary.html)

IV. THE STATE PRESERVATION PROGRAMS

Monday 4 February 2008
The State Historic Preservation Office:  The Role, the Responsibilities
Required Reading: “The States: The Backbone of Preservation.” Pp. 81—97.

Wednesday 6 February 2008
State-wide Preservation: Values, Economics, Social Structure
Required Reading: “The States: The Backbone of Preservation.” Pp. 97—104.

Friday 8 February 2008
State-wide Preservation: The Challenge of Review and Compliance
Required Reading: “The States: The Backbone of Preservation.” Pp. 105—116.

V. LOCAL GOVERNMENT PRESERVATION PROGRAMS

Monday 11 February 2008
            Local Government Preservation: Preservation where it counts
Required Reading: “Local Government Preservation.” Pp. 117—131.

Wednesday 13 February 2008
Establishing and Managing Historic Districts
Required Reading: “Local Government Preservation.” Pp. 131—136. “Old and Historic District Handbook” (departments.umw.edu/hipr/www/Fred/toc.htm). “Fredericksburg Historic District Ordinance.” (departments.umw.edu/hipr/www/Fredericksburg/hfdcode/hfdcode.htm).

Friday 15 February 2008
Planning and Preservation: A Local Issue
Required Reading: “Local Government Preservation.” Pp. 136—144; 148—156.

VI. LEGAL PRECEDENTS AND MEANS OF PUBLIC PRESERVATION

Monday 18 February 2008
Finding Historic Preservation in the Constitution:  Judicial Impact on Preservation
Required Reading: “Preservation Law and Public Policy.” Pp. 158—159; 170—174.
 Sax, Joseph L. “Property Rights and Public Benefits.” Reserve

Wednesday 20 February 2008
            Property Rights and the Courts
            Required Reading: “Preservation Law and Public Policy.” Pp. 170—184.

Friday 22 February 2008
Easements, Covenants, and other Legal Safeguards
Required Reading: “Preservation Law and Public Policy.” Pp. 180—184.

Monday 25 February 2008
Test 1

VII. PRESERVATION TREATMENTS

Wednesday 27 February 2008
Preservation, Rehabilitation, Restoration, and Reconstruction: Different Treatments for Historic Properties
                              Video: Working on the Past
Required Reading:  The Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties (www2.cr.nps.gov/tps/secstan1.htm).

Friday 29 February 2008
The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation
Required Reading: Historic Preservation, 139-153.  The Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation (www2.cr.nps.gov/tps/secstan5.htm).
Out-of-Class Assignment #1 is due

SPRING BREAK

Monday 10 March 2008
Field trip to Look at Rehabilitation in Downtown Fredericksburg
MEET IN THE FRONT OF SAMMY T'S RESTAURANT AT THE CORNER OF CAROLINE AND HANOVER STREETS
Architectural Review Board meeting at Fredericksburg City Hall, 7:30p.m.

VIII. LANDSCAPE PRESERVATION

Wednesday 12 March 2008
Preserving Important Landscapes
Required Reading: “Preserving Important Landscapes.” Pp. 187—222.

Friday 14 March 2008
Rural Preservation:  Landscape and the Natural Environment
Required Reading: “The Natural Environment.” Pp. 223—251.

IX. ARCHAEOLOGY AND PRESERVATION

Monday 17 March 2008
Archaeology and the Federal Preservation Effort
Required Reading: “The Federal Preservation Program.” Pp. 67—79.

Wednesday 19 March 2008
Archaeology’s Evolving Role in Historic Preservation.
Required Reading: “Uncertain Destiny: The Changing Role of Archaeology in Historic Preservation.” Pp. 253—278.

X. HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

Friday 21 March 2008
            Preservation and Disaster Management
            Required Reading:  To Be Announced
Out-of-Class Assignment #2 due

Monday 24 March 2008
A Distinctly American Beginning
Required Reading: “Nonprofits in the American Preservation Movement.” Pp. 313—322.

Wednesday 26 March 2008
Programs of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
Required Reading: “Nonprofits in the American Preservation Movement.” Pp. 322—327; “Local Government Preservation.” Pp. 144—148; “Barn Again” (www.agriculture.com/ba/aboutba!.html). “About the Main Street Program” (www.mainstreet.org/About/index.htm)

Friday 28 March 2008
State and Local Nonprofit Organizations
Required Reading: “Nonprofits in the American Preservation Movement.” Pp. 327—351.

Monday 31 March 2008
Test 2

XI. PRESERVATION BEYOND BUILDINGS

Wednesday 2 April 2008
What Constitutes a Cultural Intangible?
Required Reading:  “Folklife, Intangible Heritage, and the Promise and Perils of Cultural             Cooperation.” Pp. 423—448.

Friday 4 April 2008
Preserving and Transmitting Folk Culture

Monday 7 April 2008
Social and Ethnic Dimensions of Historic Preservation
            Required Reading:  “Social and Ethnic Dimensions of Historic Preservation.” Pp. 385—399.

Wednesday 9 April 2008
            Interpreting Multiracial Historic Properties: Whose History?
            Required Reading:  “Social and Ethnic Dimensions of Historic Preservation.” Pp. 399—405.

Friday 11 April 2008
            Preservation and Native Peoples: Whose History?
            Required Reading:  “Social and Ethnic Dimensions of Historic Preservation.” Pp.           406—421.

XII. HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT

Monday 14 April 2008
            An International Perspective: Institutional Perspectives
Required Reading:  “Historic Preservation in a Global Perspective: An International        Perspective.” Pp. 353—374.

Wednesday 16 April 2008
Creating International Standards
Required Reading:  “Historic Preservation in a Global Perspective: An International        Perspective.” Pp. 374—382.

Friday 18 April 2008
            Intellectual Property, Traditional Knowledge and Genetic Resources: Including the Non-governmental stakeholders
            Required Reading:  “Intellectual Property and Traditional Knowledge and          Traditional Cultural Expressions.” pdf  Reserve.

XIII.  WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE

Monday 21 April 2008
            Understanding the problems of where Preservation is today
            Required Reading: “Where Do We Go from Here?” Pp. 451—472.

Wednesday 23 April 2008
            Changing Venues, or Who Can Do Preservation Best?
            Required Reading: “Where Do We Go from Here?” Pp. 473—492.
Out-of-Class Assignment #3 due

Friday 25 April 2008
 Course Review

Monday 28 April 2008
            8:30am- 11:30a.m.  Final Exam