Preservecast

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

We hope you brought your appetite, because on this week’s PreserveCast, we are talking with Dr. Ashley Rose Young from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History about American food, history, and culture. Dr. Young will share how she got started researching the intersection of race, ethnicity, and gender in American food culture and economy and where that work is taking her in this post-COVID world. Dr. Ashley Rose Young is a cultural and social historian working at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Her research explores the intersection of race, ethnicity, and gender in American food culture and economy. Young earned a Ph.D. in History from Duke University (2017), an M.A. in History from Duke University (2013), a B.A. in History from Yale College (2010), and was a visiting scholar at Oxford University (2009). Learn more: https://americanhistory.si.edu/profile/1342 Cooking Up History:  https://americanhistory.si.edu/topics/food/pages/cooking-history

[Ep. 238] On this seventh edition of PreserveCast Conversations: The Professor and the Practitioner, an ongoing feature of PreserveCast, co-hosts Nicholas Redding and Dr. Whitney Martinko explore the trends, topics and issues that are making headlines in the world of preservation this month. They’re covering a lot of ground in today’s conversation on preservation and the issues that matter. For regular listeners, also, be sure to send any questions you have about this episode or questions you’d like answered in next month’s conversation to info@presmd.org.   Dr. Whitney Martinko is an associate professor of History at Villanova University, where she teaches classes about the early United States, environmental history and sustainability, and material culture. She also directs the graduate program in public history. She earned her AB in History from Harvard College and her MA and PhD in History from the University of Virginia. She lives in West Philadelphia. Learn more about Martinko and her work at https://www

Once upon a time, in 1955 to be exact, the Enchanted Forest, a nursey rhyme-themed amusement park, opened in Ellicott City, Maryland. On this week’s PreserveCast, we are looking at how Howard Adler and his team at Adler Display helped to bring the vision of Enchanted Forest to life. We're talking with Ron Adler, Howard’s son, about his father’s legacy and the history of Adler Display.  

Queen Elizabeth II has reigned over the United Kingdom for 70 years – an unparalleled record – and one that is being celebrated across the kingdom. On this week’s PreserveCast, we’re looking at how our friends at Kiplin Hall are celebrating this monumental moment with Imogen Hayden, an intern who took a new look at the Jubilee and how it connects to a place like Kiplin.  

Talented tradespeople make preservation physically possible. Today’s guest is Amy McAuley, the preservation joiner at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, where she uses her hands and hand powered tools to repair, restore, and preserve one of America’s most historic homes.   

Today’s episode of PreserveCast returns to the United Kingdom to open a conversation with Colin and Dan Richards of CJR Heritage, a company that has spanned continents and worked with princes to save priceless heritage. From Transylvania to the Great Wall of China, we’re talking with two of England’s most accomplished tradespeople about the future of historic trades.

In 2021 - 158 years after the first Juneteenth - the celebration became a federal holiday, changing the understanding of awareness of the holiday for millions of Americans. On this week’s PreserveCast, we’re talking with Dr. Dennis Doster, who runs the Black History Program for the Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation about what the designation means and how Juneteenth fits into the broader American story.  Dennis A. Doster, Ph.D. is the director of the M-NCPPC Black History Program. Dr. Doster has close to 15 years of experience in the field of Public History. He has worked for the National Archives, the Johns Hopkins University, and the Alexandria Black History Museum. Additionally, he is an adjunct professor in African American Studies, History, and Women’s Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park and the University of Maryland, University College. Learn more at: https://www.pgparks.com/1378/Black-History

On this week’s PreserveCast, we’re setting a course for the Chesapeake Bay with first-generation Maryland crabber Luke McFadden. Luke’s story is anything but typical – from beginning crabbing at age 12 to developing a social media following to help build a brand – but his atypical approach to crabbing might just be what the industry needs at this challenging moment. We’re talking with Luke about the beautiful swimmers, maintaining crab boats, and how his can-do approach may just help sustain Maryland’s iconic watermen heritage.

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY: The D-Day landings were the biggest invasion by sea in history. The landings took place on June 6, 1944 after five years of war with Germany. On this episode of PreserveCast, we spoke with a Normandy-based preservation organization opposed to the creation of a D-Day land. __ With every year that passes, the D-Day landings move further and further from memory to history – and how we protect, remember and honor those bloody beaches becomes a conflict between tourism and respect. Today’s guests are part of a Normandy-based preservation organization opposed to the creation of a D-Day land – a cross between heritage and entertainment that has riled up the normally quiet bocage country. 

The history of entertainment is a unique and compelling thread in America’s story – one that today’s guest has dedicated his life to studying, collecting, and interpreting. Ryan Lintelman is the Entertainment Curator at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and is putting the finishing touches on a massive new exhibit exploring this aspect of American history. Click your Ruby slippers three times, because we’re not in Kansas anymore on this week’s episode of PreserveCast. Ryan Lintelman specializes in the history of entertainment as a curator in the division of culture and the arts at the National Museum of American History. He studies and cares for the museum’s collections of historical objects related to theater, television and film, including the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, Phyllis Diller’s joke file, and Jim Henson’s Muppets. Learn more: https://americanhistory.si.edu/profile/1176 Entertainment Nation: https://americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions/entertainment-nation