Often viewed as nostalgic and inauthentic, the work of early
preservationists has frequently been underrated by modern
practitioners. Rather than considering early preservation within
its historical context, many modern preservationists judge their
predecessors' work by contemporary standards, ultimately negating
their legacy. In Design with Culture: Claiming America's Landscape
Heritage, Charles A. Birnbaum and Mary V. Hughes present an
introduction along with eight essays by well-known landscape
historians that effectively argue against this diminution. By
revisiting planning studies, executed works, and critical writings
from the years 1890-1950, these authors uncover the holistic
stewardship ethic that drove pioneering landscape preservation
advocates, revealing their goal to be the imaginative
transformation, as much as the conservation, of material
culture.
The essays, which range from accounts of the professional
contribution made by such figures as Charles Sprague Sargent and
Frederick Law Olmsted to consideration of the roles played by
women's clubs and New Deal government programs, portray the spirit
and tenacity of the early preservationists. In their focus on the
transformation of entities such as Mount Vernon and the White
House, as well as the rural countryside along the Blue Ridge
Parkway, early preservationists anticipated several key
issues--such as tourism, ecological concerns, and vehicle
access--that confront practitioners today. Birnbaum and Hughes
illustrate not only the similarity of experience between early and
modern landscape preservationists but also the immense impact that
their decisions had and still have on our daily lives.
For landscape architects, architects, planners, amateur and
professional gardeners, conservationists, preservationists, and
anyone with an interest in history, travel, and national parks,
Design with Culture will prove an indispensable resource for
understanding the history of landscape preservation.
Contributors: Charles A. Birnbaum, Mary V. Hughes, Catherine
Howett, Phyllis Andersen, Thomas E. Beaman Jr., Elizabeth Hope
Cushing, David C. Streatfield, Cynthia Zaitzevsky, Ethan Carr, and
Ian Firth
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