Events in the Middle East should be sufficient warning that history still matters. But even a sensitive planner/designer can struggle to figure out what that really means. How do we balance the desires and needs of today with the histories around us? I've been lucky enough during my sabbatical to read some short histories that have me focused on these issues than usual.
New Jersey continues to be an interesting puzzle to me. We are more like Europe than California when you consider the ways that so many different pieces of land in New Jersey have a significant history. But, unlike much of Europe, we have yet to develop a real model of how to value these histories and how to treat these properties. Especially since they are so frequently located in points of conflict with other needs and interests of the community. Preservation New Jersey picks 10 endangered places each year and the pattern is stunning. Many of these aren't hidden away country cabins where George Washington's cousin spent a night, but are substantial structures hidden in plain sight in the urban landscapes that so many New Jerseyans speed through. Check out these from Trenton, Jersey City, and Camden. And some are just things that we taked for granted like old hotels and trees.
On Sunday, the Times described how some historic properties are re-entering the private realm since their public hasn't stepped up to embrace them. These clearly seems like the sort of pattern that we will live to regret in a few decades. Who's fault is this? What are we supposed to do about it?
Some of the problem is simply awareness. It is exciting to see a sustained growth of organizations that are helping track these histories and make them increasingly accessible. For instance the National Assocaition of Olmsted Parks is putting lists of projects online (especially with help from the NPS). And I've recently been revisiting the wonderful resource, Pioneers of American Landscape Design, which catalogs a long list of forgotten historic designers. I think it is one of the most enjoyable and underappreciated books on landscape architecture.
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