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ST. - 7^ 
 
 Historic Preservation Is 
 
 'Creating the Future' 
 
 VIHini'lMililM'! 
 
 MORE STUDENT COMMENTS ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION Septenter 1974 
 
aUNOlS HISTORICAL imn 
 

 y 
 
 Department of University of 
 
 Urban and Regional Illinois at 
 
 Planning Urbana-Champaign 
 
 909 WEST NCVAOA • URBANA. ILLINOIS 6IB01 I2I7I 333 i(9^ September 197A 
 
 In the Spring Semester of this year, students in my Seminar on Planning 
 for Historic Preservation took three weekend field study trips to various 
 sites in Illinois. A sampling of their comments on the first trip (to 
 Oak Park, Chicago's Loop and Pullman) was published in a booklet entitled, 
 "Historic Preservation is Not Just a Thing of the Past." 
 
 The following pages set forth some of the comments made after their travels 
 to the Springfield and Galena areas in March and April. In Springfield, 
 visits were made to the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, the Old 
 State Capitol and the Lincoln-Hemdon Law Offices. On the second day they 
 visited the Old Clayville Stage Coach Stop, Lincoln's New Salem Village 
 State Park, and the Dickson Mounds Archeological Museum. 
 
 On a three-day trip to Northwestern Illinois, the Washington Square 
 Historic District, Reddick's Library and the Appellate Court Building 
 were among the places seen in Ottawa; and then the John Deere Site, 
 Colonial Inn, and the Episcopal Church in Grand Detour. The group 
 stayed overnight in old hotels in Dixon and in Galena, where a full day 
 was spent. The return trip included a brief stop at the land sales office 
 for a major new development near Galena, and an extended exploration of 
 Bishop Hill. At almost every site, the students benefitted from discussion 
 with those responsible for preservation activities. 
 
 I am confident that these few students have come to the realization that 
 Historic Preservation is a very important and timely part of "Creating 
 the Future," and that sharing their frank comments will prove helpful 
 to others. 
 
 We are grateful to the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine 
 Arts and to the Ottawa Silica Company Foundation for providing the funds 
 which made the study trips possible. 
 
 Lachlan F. Blair 
 Professor 
 
 LFB/bs 
 
H I STOR I C PRESERVATI ON 
 "CREATING THE FUTURE" 
 
 I S 
 
 More Student Comments on Historic Preservation 
 
 The comments In these two booklets have been edited only by 
 selection and grouping. Each student was asked to submit a 
 page or two of observations and reactions to what he saw and 
 experienced on each of the three field trips taken by the 
 Seminar group. These are not Intended as scholarly findings; 
 rather, they are the discoveries and concerns of young minds 
 being opened to the new field of planning for historic pre- 
 servation. 
 
 Each of the participants also prepared and presented a seminar 
 paper dealing either with a preservation project or community 
 case study, or with research into a special aspect of preser- 
 vation planning. And most of the participants are pursuing 
 further studies in planning for historic preservation. 
 
 HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS ALIVE 2 
 
 HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS LOCAL 3 
 
 HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS EDUCATPN 4 
 
 HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS TOURISM 6 
 
 HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS CONFLICT 7 
 
 HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS AUTHENTIC? 8 
 
 HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS FOR WHOM? 9 
 
 PARTICIPANTS IN THE SEMINAR 11 
 
HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS ALIVE 
 
 "It is a long way from the Oak Park district to New Salem 
 and Dickson Mounds. Thn key point is the life and variety 
 within the movement. In few areas of planning have I seen 
 such child-like vibrancy. Preservation is moving, and 
 quickly, openly. 
 
 "To me, one of the most valuable results of preservation 
 is that It offers the opportunity for history to 'come 
 alive' for people in a way that history books never can." 
 
 "The museums are not static creations. Planning for them is 
 a continuing process. The Federal plans for expansion of the 
 Lincoln Home areaj and the state plans for additions and 
 improvements at Neu Salem and Dickson Mounds reflect the 
 museums ' popularity and the desire to increase authenticity . " 
 
 "Dickson Mounds, which I expected to be the lou point 
 of the trip was perhaps the most interesting. It, to 
 me, exemplified the potential in proper development of a 
 scheme. The presentation was dramatic and almost of a 
 'gee whizz magician's trick' quality." 
 
 "The final field trip of the semester presented at least 
 one aspect of virtually all the diverse forms that historic 
 preservation encompasses. Among them were reconstructions, 
 restorations, house museums, historic districts, private, 
 corporate, and state-financed projects, adapative uses, and 
 preservation planning." 
 
 I fell in love with Galena. I'd move there tomorrow 
 if 1 could. Walking the streets above the city on 
 that peaceful, windy, sunny day brought back to me 
 the memory of the small towns life that I remember 
 from my childhood. It was truly an emotional experi- 
 ence. By dinnertime, I was thoroughly enthralled with 
 the city, yet dinner with the Mayor brought my head 
 out of the clouds as we discussed the very real and 
 complicated problems that Galena faces today." 
 
 "I left Bishop Hill optimistic about it's future as a pre- 
 served and functioning cormunity. It was a good ending 
 for this trur, since each site we visited left me with a 
 similar feeling of optimism. None of these oorrrnunities has 
 achieved all of its goals in preservation. But they are at 
 least moving in the right direction. " 
 
 "Indeed, as I have learned, historic preservavion 
 is not the preserving of antiquity as much as the 
 weaving of heritage inzo the vibrancy of change. " 2 
 
HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS LOCAL 
 
 "An overall reaction is that it is local interest 
 and local leadership that is the powerful force 
 behind historical preservation. This was demon- 
 strated to me through attitudes in both Galena 
 and Bishop Hill. There is so much more oppor- 
 tunity for success in preserving elements of 
 the past if the people have "sense of place" 
 that triggers a real concern for these matters." 
 
 "Galena shows more so than Bishop Hill the problems of gaining 
 local support. Had Wiere been a more local and less Chicago 
 surrmer resort visitor orientation in Galena's early efforts 
 in historic preservation^ Galena probably would have progressed 
 much further than it has in historic preservation programs." 
 
 "To be successful, I feel that any historic preservation 
 work must have the support of the local community. Will 
 the people of the community be more concerned with 
 economic survival regardless of what must be sacrificed 
 (i.e., old buildings) or will they see the potential 
 for adaptive reuse of their deteriorating structures 
 that could complement instead of hinder economic 
 growth?" 
 
 "Lincoln's Law Offices were fascinating, but I do question 
 the necessity of preserving sections of old steps upon which 
 Lincoln walked or old beds in which persons died. " 
 
 "The Lincoln Home and neighborhood are off the main 
 thoroughfares of Springfield, enabling the visitor 
 to escape the bustle of the twentieth century 
 and step back into the past. The houses which 
 remain from Lincoln's tine are to be restored to 
 their original appearance in order to recreate 
 the 'feel' of the neighborhood around Lincoln's 
 Home. As one interested in history and in historic 
 preservation, I welcome the attempt to restore 
 the ambiance of the neighborhood. However, as 
 a feeling human being, I must admit to doubts 
 about the rightness of displacing neighborhood 
 residents from their homes, for ordinary citizens 
 as well as Presidents have personal histories." 
 
 "Bishop Hill is not only a preservation of buildings, but 
 
 a culture as well. Quite often, the cultural aspect is 
 
 totally ignored, buildings are restored but the cultural 
 
 feeling is lost. Fortunately, the people of Bishop Hill 
 
 realize that to preserve thsir buildings and hemes means 
 
 to preserve a culture, a past, a true sense of being. " 3 
 
"Grant's Home was nice, but I found many of the other 
 buildings more Interesting. I realize that a town 
 tries to capitalize on historic persons or places 
 important in its history, but I felt that the Grant 
 idea was over-done." 
 
 "Galena has something very special. Its aesthetic effect and 
 charm are going to make it of interest to far more than just 
 those who live there. Because of the excessive outside 
 interest in Galena, the possibility of it becoming a healthy, 
 well-balanced town is eliminated. But another consequence 
 is that Galena will be preserved. . .in the physical sense. 
 The value of this type of preservation is questionable. 
 Integrity will become secondary to marketability. But I 
 liked it — as a tourist, not a planner, — I liked it." 
 
 HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS. . .£DUCATlQNj 
 
 "At Oak Park and Chicago the major problems for preservation- 
 ists was finding some way to educate people about the value 
 of their old buildings and neighborhoods. In Springfield, 
 such education is not necessary. No one is about to tear 
 down Lincoln's Home or turn New Salem State Park into a 
 cornfield. This is partly because these sites are clearly 
 of such great national importance, and partly because the 
 economic pressures to put them to other uses are not as 
 great. There is little need to make the historic value of 
 these sites better known to the public. In fact, one of the 
 most serious problems for the administrators in the Spring- 
 field area is that their historic sites are too well known." 
 
 "Fov me, New Salem was the highlight of our trip. After 
 touring the site I understood why the ranger consider'^ d 
 New Salem the most important historic site in the Midwest. 
 The restored villace^ would be fascyinatir.g even if it 
 had not at one tivr.e keen the home of young fbrdham 
 Lincoln. Great pains have been taken to give an air 
 of authenticity to the village^ and the result is 
 a believable restoration of a village of the 1830 's. 
 Those responsible for the restoraticn are so intent 
 on authenticity that they ars even 'hack-breeding' 
 the (Sickens so that they will he like those of the 
 nineteenth century.'" 
 
 "It was refreshing to see a historical tribute to 
 a non-political or military figure in the John Deere 
 Historic Site. I wonder though if John Deere 's real 
 significance to farming technology has not been over- 
 emphasized? His home is a typical house museum; 
 the antique display is good but only two items 
 belonged to the Deere family." 4 
 
"The John heere presentation package failed to make John 
 Deere seem like he was ever alive. The archeologioal dig 
 was interesting and informative ^ but the rest was dull. 
 It needed more -vitality . " 
 
 "This trip impressed on me hoD important the surround- 
 ing landsoape is in creating a pleasant mood. For 
 example, it was not difficult to get a "feel" for 
 what it ■ was like to live in the era of John Deere, 
 for one could see what his home and blacksmith shop 
 looked like in the context of the surrounding environ- 
 ment. The setting of homes in Ottawa that were set 
 book from the street and beautifully landscaped 
 offered so much more to the structure than those 
 buildings surrounded by modem developnent. " 
 
 "The Lincoln Home National Historic Site was aesthetically 
 impressive in its attempt to re-create 'Springfield, 1861'. 
 To my amateur eye, the furnishing and decor of the Lincoln 
 Home seemed authentic and this was followed through in detail. 
 It not only lent insight into the personal life of Lincoln, 
 but to the typical family of the upper-middle class in that 
 period." 
 
 "The Lincoln Law Offices seemed to lack some of the normal 
 integrity associated with a museum; documents , some of which 
 were historically inappropriate , were too strewn about to 
 achieve a 'realistic' took. In contrast to the informality 
 of this museum the Old State Capitol has an extremely formal 
 and intensely authentic interpretation. 
 
 "Clayvllle and New Salem are both state-financed 
 outdoor museums of high quality. Clayvllle contains 
 a restored inn dating from 1824 and several recon- 
 structed log buildings from the period. New Salem, 
 originally a private restoration of the village in 
 which Lincoln lived. Both museums serve to portray 
 village life of the 1830 's and the actual production 
 of handcraft articles and foods by the original 
 methods enhances the illusion of reality and better 
 supports the education role of the museums." 
 
 "Dickson Mounds State Park is a modem, highly dramatic 
 archeological/anthropological museum created on an original 
 Indian burial site. Incorporating the virtually undisturbed 
 burial site intact in the museum is extremely educational 
 and thought-provoking, causing one to easily reflect upon 
 the ancient culture. " 5 
 
HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS TOO(^\S^A 
 
 "My general reaction tc the Springfield trip was one of 
 pleasant surprise. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed 
 visiting these sites. Previously I had had the impression 
 that the Lincoln-related sites in particular were little more 
 than miniature Disneylands or sideshows designed to draw In 
 as much tourist trade as possible. But I found that I was 
 wrong." 
 
 "The Ranger in Charge at the Lincoln Home and National 
 Historic Site told ue that his most serious problem 
 
 is that 'we're loved too much. ' He detailed for us , 
 
 the problems involved in draining up development 
 plane, acquiring land, and dealing with the large 
 federal bureaucracy. But he emphasized that hie 
 most difficult problem was finding some way to make 
 the Lincoln Home eite readily available to the 
 thoueande who come to see it every year. What 
 he wanted the site to be woe an educational ex- 
 perience for everyone who cane there, a place where 
 they could get a senee of Lincoln and the times he 
 lived in. But during the peak seaeone, such goals 
 necessarily had to be compromised in order that the 
 arcwde could be moved in and out ae efficiently 
 ae poseible and with the least wear and tear on the 
 facilities . " 
 
 "Despite the bitterly cold weather, I am glad that we made 
 our visit in March rather than during the warm months. 
 I'm afraid that hordes of tourists would seriously detract 
 from the atmosphere of he place and wouU not allow the 
 feeling of the past that I enjoyed. The ranger explained 
 that the inordinately large number of fences was historically 
 inaccurate but necessary for crowd control. This may, un- 
 fortunately, be an ineritable result of succeesful preser- 
 vation — an area is restored so well that it becomes exciting, 
 attracting large numbers of visitors who then detract from the 
 effectiveness of the preservation attempt. I guess there 's 
 no solution to this problem. " 
 
 "Almost everyone in the city realizes Galena's 
 future lies with tourism and the restoration of 
 its 19th century architecture, yet such develop- 
 ment will have to benefit and provide for the needs 
 of the town and its people and not just outsiders 
 who come to exploit the area for its tourist poten- 
 tial." 6 
 
"Tourism ie going to have an increasingly greater impact 
 on the town because it has what people want to see. But it 
 is this factor that is going to provide serious problems 
 which will have to be solved soon. ...Lack of parking space 
 within the city is apparent and will result in monumental 
 congestion. The town is oriented linearly and vertically , 
 thus compounding the traffic problem. " 
 
 HISTORIC PRESE RV ATION IS....COMFL\CT 
 
 "Lincoln 's Home was interesting since I had always 
 wondered what their plans were going to be. I think 
 I can understand the reactions of the people who are 
 objecting to the tearing down of 1890 's buildings. 
 They appear to be structurally sound and worth saving. 
 People see the building down the street next to the 
 office that is deteriorating and yet it is going to 
 be saved. The difference in these two buildings 
 is unbelievable from a 'layman's' point of viev. 
 Talking about integrity is certainly difficult 
 at this point. " 
 
 "I had mixed feelings about the effort to create a total 
 environment. The closure of the streets to auto traffic 
 and the purchase of the nearby homes, seemed to have drained 
 the area of vitality." 
 
 "The problems of funding as well as overall problems 
 in maintenance of historic districts were brought out 
 at Li .oln's New Salem Village State Park. This 
 Department of Conservation project already has arti- 
 facts, land, and a tradition established, but the 
 problem of crowd control is much the same as for the 
 Federal project in Springfield. One must maintain 
 a lite before interpretation becomes possible, 
 hence the need for control." 
 
 "Our visit to the office of the city planning conrrission 
 reinforced the complications of priority, adrrinistration, 
 and similar problems encountered in preservation. It counter- 
 balanced the dosage of pro-preservation offered during the 
 rest of the trip. " 
 
 "The weather conditions at New Salem did not promote 
 my most benevolent reactions . Only in hindsight can 
 I try to appreciate the positive aspects of the park. 
 The authenticity t once again, was to make one marvel. " 
 
"The 'Galena Territory' project is a product of our 
 wasteful times. There is no earthly reason besides 
 profit that such a beautiful natural environment 
 has to be 'developed' and thereby ruined by contem- 
 porary land speculators. It is a crime against 
 nature to have allowed such an operation to begin." 
 
 "I was dismayed to find that Galena had lost a great number 
 of trees. The buildings and homes no longer had the peaceful 
 and quite appearance they once had. It really struck me how 
 trees and plantings play an important role in the overall 
 picture of a building or neighborhood." 
 
 "All these diverse groups of people recognize that 
 preservation is important, but each approaches 
 preservation in a different way based on their 
 resources and concern. ...As planners we should 
 support diversity in preservation because it repre- 
 sents the very essence of America. Preservation- 
 ists should recognize the value of different 
 approaches. ...'Purists' must not shun laymen 
 action and interest which may not result in 'ideal' 
 preservation but which has value as an expression 
 of concern for the community heritage." 
 
 HISTORIC PRESERVATION I$..AUTi4gN^TtC? 
 
 "The people in charge at every place we visited were seriously 
 concerned about the accurate restoration and preservation of 
 their sites and their effectiveness as educational and 
 cultural resources. They seemed to have definite principles 
 by which they guided their preservation work and compromised 
 these principles only vhen it was necessri-y to do so in order 
 to make their facilities more accessible to everyone who 
 wished to visit them." 
 
 "J think this digging up of the facts by hietoricns or 
 whoever is really interesting, you start uith only a 
 belief and from there try to solve a mystery about 
 details of things that have happened long ago. " 
 
 "The reconstruction of the Old State Capitol seemed 
 
 very well done. The detail and workmanship enjoyed 
 
 a very professional look. The tour here invoked 
 
 curiosity and a certain feeling cf time and place. 
 
 I could feel the important business which had been 
 
 transacted in the building. I was most impressed 
 
 with the continuity of theme in the functional 
 
 use of the building. It seemed the perfect place 
 
 for the State Historical Library. The lower level _ 
 
 could quench the thirst derived on the upper floors." ° 
 
"The 'preservationists' have used old records to reconstruct 
 what they thought might have been in these two places. The 
 location of walls and exact offices appears to be only an 
 educated guess in the case of the Capital. New Salem will 
 look like what the historians believe might have been there 
 over 100 years ago. They do have accounts of some of the 
 building but nothing seems to be certain." 
 
 "Constantly, older buildings are being torn down 
 because- they no longer meet the needs of today. 
 If the building is saved ^rom demolition, it is 
 usually remodeled inside. Quite often, the remodel- 
 ing will completely change the interior, and alter 
 the exterior beyond recognition. This is not the 
 case for the Appellate Court Building in Ottawa. 
 This building was remodeled, in taste, and with regard 
 to the original interior. As a result, the building 
 is still in use today in itc original function." 
 
 "The Colonial Inn was an example of private people 'restoring' 
 a period structure. Obviously the authentication of the work 
 is not perfect — yet that can be overlooked in my opinion 
 when you weight the other benefits that such business could 
 mean to the conrrunity. I hope that the Colonial Inn (and I'm 
 sure alot of its neighbors do too) will be able to maintain 
 a thriving business without destroying the restful essence 
 of the corrmmity. " 
 
 HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS...Foa. LJMOM? 
 
 "I learned more from Dixon than Grund Detour. The 
 arched sign over the higfiuayj of course, has been 
 thoroughly discussed among us. Yet when noted 
 with all the other neon from a distance, it does blend 
 into the city scape. As preservationists, we must 
 not become too righteous. We may think something 
 good or bad, but if the people we work with do not 
 agree we aarmot force ourselves on them. 
 
 "Historical preservation efforts have traditionally been the 
 result of endeavors instigated and managed by the wealthy. 
 A current trend is to involve more of the middle and low 
 income people into preservation work. ...It is possible that 
 opinions as to what elements should be preserved in a corrmmity 
 may greatly differ among income groups. The fact ty tradi- 
 tionally, preservation has been promoted by the wealuiy 
 may have served as a kind of self generating, closed system; 
 operating of the rich, by the rich and for the rich. " 9 
 
"The short amount of time spent in Slshop Hill served 
 to reinforce my ideas that a large percentage of one's 
 efforts Is spent in an attempt to gain a feel for 
 the people. From there you spend the majority of 
 your time communicating your suggebtions to your 
 constituency. Public relations is a vital part of 
 planning. Too much time is spent in emphaslB on 
 what a plan is, instead of on what planners must 
 do, must learn to do." 
 
 "The city over the hill muet be canaidered. Although all 
 of the city is within the historic ordincmce, little is done 
 
 'over the hill'. I infer that even in the days of great 
 prosperity, 'over the hill' waa a separate social group. 
 They now must not be left out of preservation. The work 
 on federal and other architecture can serve the whole toum. " 
 
 "A popularly supported planning program in all areas , 
 including preservation, is needed. This program must 
 have as its goal the preservation and enhancement 
 of those qualities which make Ottawa unique. The 
 major problem seems to be one of education. The 
 people of Ottawa must be shown that they have valuable 
 resources and that these resources are worth main- 
 taining, not as magnets for tourism (which, realis- 
 tically, they probably aren't) but as an enhancement 
 to their dally lives as residents of the community." 
 
 "The local people are directly behind the preservation work 
 being done in Bishop Hill. They are in an unique position 
 since they see it not only as potential economic growth 
 via tourism, but as a preservation of their own history 
 and heritage. " 
 
 "Preservation in Bishop Bill is geared for the uses 
 of the local citizens who are descended from the 
 original settlers. Historic old buildings are to 
 be used as homes, not converted into house museums. 
 It was refreshing to cee such preservation o7*iented, 
 not to the tourist and hip dollars, but to the 
 heritage of a living ethr.ic community. " 
 
 "Although, not pramaatically correct, the question remains, 
 'Who is preservatlcn for?'" 
 
 10 
 
PARTICIPANTS IN UP 487E 
 
 Seminar In Planning for Historic Preservation 
 
 John E. Collison, Ph.D. candidate in Geography 
 
 Martha C. Dade, Graduate student In Planning 
 
 Patricia Erdmann, Senior in Geography 
 
 Jane Glazer, Senior in Journalism and Planning 
 
 Patrick J. Glithero, Graduate student in Planning 
 
 Larry D. Justice, Junior in Planning 
 
 Mary Ann Leonard, Junior In Planning 
 
 Christie S. Love, Graduate student in Planning 
 
 Susan K. Moyer, Graduate student in Planning 
 
 Douglas C. Munski , Graduate student in Planning 
 
 Gary R. Papke, Graduate student In Planning 
 
 Stanley S. Parsons, Graduate student in Planning 
 
 Anne M. Schaeffer, Junior in Planning 
 
 Steven B. Sperotto, Junior in Planning 
 
 Karen Nelson Yonkers, Graduate student In Planning 
 
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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANfl 
 
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 HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS CREATING THE F 
 
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