Preservecast

On this week’s PreserveCast we are talking with Charles Henry the President of the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), a non-profit organization that works with libraries, cultural institutions, and higher learning communities to improve research, teaching, and learning environments through the digitization and preservation of cultural heritage. Charles will be sharing the threat that climate change poses on cultural heritage. Charles is the president of the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), a non-profit organization that works with libraries, cultural institutions, and higher learning communities to improve research, teaching, and learning environments through the digitization and preservation of cultural heritage. He believes preserving cultural heritage connects us with humanity’s collective experience and knowledge, and gives us a sense of identity. However, cultural memory loss can easily occur through destruction (e.g. the early Library of Alexandria), neglect, lack o

Roll your oak barrels over – we’re making whiskey! On this week’s PreserveCast, join us in talking with Aaron Hollis, the Co-Executive Director of West Overton Village Museum in Scottdale, PA. Aaron will be sharing about re-establishing the whiskey distillery on the property after almost 100 years. The distillery is operational and is used to educate visitors about how whiskey was made over 100 years ago. Aaron Hollis Jr. was born and raised in Scottdale, PA just a few miles from West Overton. He has a B.A. in Archaeology from the University of Pittsburgh and an M.A. in Public History from West Virginia University. He started volunteering at West Overton 10 years ago and today is Co-Executive Director. Outside of the museum, he enjoys hiking with his wife, playing with his two dogs, and tinkering with his 1956 pickup truck.  Learn more: https://www.westovertonvillage.org/

Reuse for Our Future! And join us on this week’s PreserveCast as we talk with Stephanie Phillips a recipient of the 2021 Goodall Fellowship. Stephanie will be sharing about the Circular Heritage Project, of which the fellowship supported the launch. The Circular Heritage Project, which seeks to strengthen the alignment between the heritage conservation field and the growing circular economy movement in North America. Stephanie Phillips, AICP, is a San Antonio-based senior public policy & planning professional working at the intersection of heritage conservation and the circular economy. She leads the City of San Antonio's Deconstruction and Circular Economy Program, which aims to maximize material salvage and reuse opportunities from older structures while advancing the City’s climate action, affordable housing, and workforce development goals - all through a heritage conservation lens.  

You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen . . . but what about the jolly old elf holding the reins? St. Nicholas, Old St. Nick, Sinterklaas, or simply Santa Claus. He’s gone by many names – but where does this rich and seemingly timeless tradition come from? On this special edition of PreserveCast, we’re headed down a winding reindeer path to uncover the rich history of Santa Claus and how he came to define the modern celebration of Christmas.

On this week’s PreserveCast, we are talking with Christopher Oakley from UNC Asheville about his research behind solving the number 1 question guests at the Gettysburg National Cemetery ask. “Where did Lincoln stand [during the Gettysburg Address]?” Join us while Oakley takes us through the intense analysis of 19thcentury photographs with today’s technology & 3D modelling software. Christopher Oakley is an associate professor of New Media and teaches courses in animation and the history of animation at the University of North Carolina in Asheville. Christopher is also an animator and director with over 25 years of experience in the film, television, commercial and game industries. After several years working as a stop motion animator and director on commercials and CBS' Pee-wee's Playhouse, Christopher was recruited by Walt Disney Feature Animation to work on their pioneering computer-generated film Dinosaur and other projects. After moving to Asheville, NC, Christopher animated "Into the Groove" for Mad

We're excited to bring you today's PreserveCast live from the field! We're in Annapolis, Maryland on the grounds of the historic State House, where we're sitting down with Drew Brown of the Christman Company to discuss the organization's work on the overhaul of the State House's c. 1788 dome. Then we'll shift the conversation to talk with three of the project's tradespeople, skilled in window restoration, painting, and slate and shingle work.  After all - without the trained hands to do the work, preservation is just good intentions. Come along with us as we discuss this unique project and explore careers in the historic trades. PreserveCast is brought to you by Preservation Maryland, which also runs the national workforce development program The Campaign for Historic Trades in partnership with NPS' Historic Preservation Training Center. To learn more about The Campaign's work to expand and strengthen careers in the field of historic trades, visit www.historictrades.org  

The first comprehensive research study on the status of heritage trades in the US has now been published! On this week’s PreserveCast, we are talking with Donovan Rypkema from PlaceEconomics about the Historic Trades Labor Study published by The Campaign for Historic Trades (Powered by Preservation Maryland). Rypkema will take us through the research and how he and his team conducted the study, some surprising key findings about Historic Trades in the United States, and about the industry’s expected growth in the next decade. To access the full study and other assets, visit www.historictrades.org/laborstudy Donovan D. Rypkema is principal of PlaceEconomics, a Washington, D.C.-based real estate and economic development-consulting firm. The work of the firm is at the nexus of historic preservation and economics. He has undertaken assignments for public and non-profit sector clients in 49 US states. He also teaches a course on the economics of historic preservation at the University of Pennsylvania where he rece

Join us in exploring a new narrative of the American Revolutionary War from the eyes of hired German Soldiers, known as Hessians. On this week’s PreserveCast, we are talking with Friederike Baer about her book Hessians: German Soldiers in the American Revolutionary War. We’ll explore the untold stories of the Hessians and the profound impact they had in the American Revolution. Friederike Baer is Associate Professor of History and Division Head for Arts and Humanities at Pennsylvania State University, Abington College. Originally from Germany, Baer holds a Ph.D. in early American history from Brown University. Her research, which has been supported by organizations such as the American Philosophical Society, University of Michigan Clements Library, German Historical Institute in Washington, D.C., and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), focuses primarily on the experiences of German-speaking people in North America in the periods of the War for American Independence and Early Republic. Among her publicati

Hold onto your steering wheel as we’re about to hit the road on this week’s PreserveCast as we talk with Evans Paull about Baltimore’s Stop the Road movement, the historic waterfront communities saved, and the Highway to Nowhere. Detailed in his recently released book, Stop the Road: Stories from The Trenches of Baltimore’s Road Wars, Paull will give us a glimpse into the up-close-and-personal account of Baltimore’s 40-year battle over highway plans.  E. Evans Paull spent 45 years as a city planner working in Baltimore and nationally on urban redevelopment issues. He began his career in the Baltimore City Department of Planning as a generalist planner before specializing in the redevelopment of brownfields.  After starting and managing Baltimore’s Brownfields Initiative, he tackled these same issues at a national level, working first for Northeast-Midwest Institute before becoming director of the National Brownfields Coalition and finally running his consulting business, Redevelopment Economics. Although now

It’s time for The Great Maryland Recipe Hunt! Join us on this week’s PreserveCast as we talk with Joyce White from A Taste of History to discuss the upcoming anniversary of one of Maryland’s most iconic cookbooks, Maryland’s Way, The Hammond-Harwood House Cook Book. This cookbook included recipes found in historic handwritten journals as well as many that were donated from Marylanders across the state. The Hammond-Harwood House and the Maryland State Archives are teaming up to continue the search for recipes that fully represent Maryland’s evolving cuisine to honor this 60th anniversary. Joyce White is a foodways historian operating A Taste of History with Joyce White, offering interactive food history presentations with tastings on a variety of topics. Joyce is also the foodways consultant to the c. 1801 Riversdale House Museum in Riverdale Park, Maryland, was the consultant for the restoration of the 18th century kitchen at Annapolis’ William Paca House, and was the guest curator for the Maryland State Exhi

In a world where rational, scientific explanations are more available than ever, belief in the unprovable and irrational--in fringe--is on the rise: from Atlantis to aliens, from Flat Earth to the Loch Ness monster, the list goes on. Enter Colin Dickey, Cultural Historian and Tour Guide of the Weird. With the same curiosity and insight that made Ghostland a hit with readers and critics, Colin looks at what all fringe beliefs have in common, explaining that today's Illuminati is yesterday's Flat Earth: the attempt to find meaning in a world stripped of wonder. On this week’s PreserveCast things are about to get weird as we enter spooky season with The Unidentified: Mythical Monsters, Alien Encounters, and Our Obsession with the Unexplained.

On this week’s PreserveCast, we are talking we are talking with Carissa Demore from Historic New England about the Historic New England Summit (2022) happing this Thursday, October 13th through Friday, October 14th. This 2-day event will be full of conversations exploring how 21st-century challenges and opportunities are transforming the fields of historic preservation, architecture, urban planning, conservation, arts & culture, museum studies, collections management, public history, and education. If you are interested, you can still participate! Join the Summit virtually via livestream for both daytime sessions. Grab your tickets now! Carissa Demore joined Historic New England in 2013 and became the Team Leader of Preservation Services in 2017. In her current role, she is responsible for the overall planning and implementation of a variety of preservation programs and initiatives, including management of the Preservation Easement Program, direction of public programs to raise visibility and awareness of

Hop off the bus with us on this week’s PreserveCast as we talk with Diego Bleifuss Prados, artist from @busstoppaintings, who paints a reflection of original communities within Chicago’s historic neighborhoods from their bus stops. Bleifuss Prados will share how he started painting bus stops and his rush to preserve images of these historic areas before rapid gentrification.   Diego Bleifuss Prados is a painter based in Chicago, Illinois. Born and raised in Chicago, Diego first began painting watercolors while living in Denver, Colorado and then in Marfa, Texas. His paintings try to capture and celebrate the vernacular architecture and design of older commercial buildings, such as corner stores plastered with years of beer advertisements, chipped and faded hand-painted signs, and closed shops fallen into disrepair. Many of his paintings' subjects are holdouts in rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods, and still reflect the original community that built and patronized these spots. Diego's paintings can be found on

On this week’s PreserveCast, take a look back at one of the bloodiest days in American history and the battle’s horrendous toll on the area’s civilians. We are talking with Steve Cowie, author of When Hell Came to Sharpsburg: The Battle of Antietam and Its Impact on the Civilians Who Called It Home about the Battle of Antietam and how it impacted civilians. Cowie will share the process of writing his book, researching the lives of Sharpsburg civilians, and how they dealt with the emotional, physical, and financial havoc. Steven Cowie earned a degree from California State University, Long Beach. As part of the Los Angeles film industry, he penned spec screenplays and sold his award-winning short film to the Sundance Channel. A lifelong student of the Civil War, Cowie dedicated fifteen years to exclusively researching the Battle of Antietam. When Hell Came to Sharpsburg is his first book.   Learn more: https://www.stevencowie.com/when-hell-came-to-sharpsburg Purchase When Hell came to Sharpsburg: https://www.am

Today we’re joined by Seth Clark, Executive Director of The Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative (ONPPI). ONPPI is a community based group of Middle Georgia and Muscogee (Creek) citizens working together to expand the current site of the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park into Georgia’s first National Park and Preserve. With growing national attention focused upon the necessity of preservation of our public lands, ONPPI is committed to being the driving force behind local conservation efforts. Seth, born and raised in rural Georgia, is leading the effort to create Georgia’s first national park “on the land that raised me.”

Lace up your skates and join us in the rink for this this week’s PreserveCast as we talk with Margot Atwell, author of Derby Life: A Crash Course in the Incredible Sport of Roller Derby about the history of the sport and her experience competing. Atwell will share how she got started in Roller Derby and what prompted her to write her book Derby Life.  

Join us as we explore the history of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and a living historian’s experience passing on his knowledge to parkgoers. On this week’s PreserveCast, we are talking with Erik Ledbetter from Maryland Park Service about his time at Seneca Creek State Park working as a Park Ranger, Assistant Manager of the Park about his experience as a steward of Maryland’s Cultural History.   Erik Ledbetter is a Park Ranger at Seneca Creek State Park for the Maryland Park Service. He also works as the CCC Historian and Living History Interpreter. He has served as a Maryland Park Ranger and Assistant Manager of Seneca Creek State Park. Ledbetter earned a Master of Philosophy in History from Yale (1992) and a B.A. and M.A. in History from Johns Hopkins University (1988).  

On this week’s PreserveCast, we are talking with Jim Heid, author of Building Small: A Toolkit for Real Estate Entrepreneurs, Civic Leaders and Great Communities. We will be looking at how Building Small is a tool for developers to integrate socially responsible, economically resilient, and authentic placemaking. And how this style of development and thinking can be used for historic rehabilitations. Jim Heid is an infill developer and sustainable development advisor based in Sonoma County, California. Known for his aspirational but practical approach, he works with a range of tools and best practices to communicate the value of inspired design and sustainability within the realities of local market norms. With over forty years experience as an urban designer, land planner, sustainability strategist and now infill developer, he brings a broad range of perspectives and skills to the discussion about how communities grow. Trained as a landscape architect, he received a Masters in Real Estate Development from Ma

There’s many ways to experience and enjoy history – and this week’s episode is taking a deep dive with Dave Bussiere Jr., the owner and founder of TR Historical about his experience running a history-based retail shop. From an online shop to vendor stalls David will walk us through his experience and provide some insight into how to make history fun, engaging, and marketable to many. Learn more at: https://trhistorical.com/

Step right up – because on this week’s PreserveCast, we’re talking about the history of the Circus with historian LaVahn Hoh. From special effects to teaching at Clown College, LaVahn will take us through his own history and the history of the circus as well as a conversation about the future of this 2,000-year-old institution. LaVahn Hoh is a nationally known circus historian and teaches the only accredited course in America on the history of the American circus. He earned his M.F.A. from the University of Wisconsin and his M.A. for the University of Illinois. He taught at the University of Virginia’s Department of Drama before retiring in 2015. Lavahn’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Step-Right-Up-Adventure-America/dp/1558701397/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1656700950&sr=1-8