Preservecast

On this week’s PreserveCast, we’re sitting down with fellow podcaster Liz Clappin, host of Tomb with a View, to talk about the world of cemetery history and preservation to explore this unique and ever-present resource on America’s landscape.  Liz is an architectural historian based in Atlanta, GA. She has a BA in Anthropology from the University of Rhode Island and an MFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Architectural History. A board member for the Association for Gravestone Studies, since 2019 she has hosted Tomb with a View Podcast focusing on the history and preservation of American cemeteries. Learn more: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tomb-with-a-view-a-cemetery-podcast/id1479982844

Historic places are evocative, authentic, and powerful backdrops for events – and today’s guest has breathed new life into historic places across Maryland – and gained a massive following on social media as a result. We’re talking about celebrating in historic spaces and how to make history pay with Kate Dear of Fêtewell™. Kate Dear has always had a passion for epic celebrations and historic spaces and wanted to create an authentic venue with easygoing policies when she launched Main Street Ballroom in 2016. As Kate’s business has expanded, her down to earth approach to events has not. Approachable luxury is her mantra and a core value of how Kate and her team operate Fêtewell™’s portfolio of venues.

When a building’s fate is settled, what can be done to save its memories? How can a community be engaged and given an opportunity to tell their story about that place? For Cumberland, Maryland-based photographer, Michael Hunter Thompson, the answer is through detailed photography. On this week’s PreserveCast we’re talking about how this photography project engaged thousands and underscored the power of place that preservationists around the nation should think about as they work to rally communities of their own.  Michael Hunter Thompson is a photographer living in Cumberland, Maryland. He has a BA from Frostburg State University in Graphic Design. Thompson began experimenting with photography in 2011 using layering, texturing, and other manipulation techniques. His style has evolved, now mainly shooting at dusk/nightfall using a more cinematic approach. Thompson’s work has achieved acclaim at the local, state, and national level. He is currently working on a historical preservation photography project of his

In life the servants and staff of Kiplin Hall moved through the house silently undertaking their duties. We see traces of them in the historical record through things like accounts ledgers and diary entries. Then and today, they are shadows, without whom Kiplin Hall could not have existed and thrived. On this week’s episode of PreserveCast, we’re talking with Alice Rose, Programming Curator and Project Officer of Kiplin Hall & Gardens to discuss their latest exhibit which explores the world of servants and how embracing a more inclusive story is building interest in this well-preserved historic home. Alice Rose is the Programming Curator and Project Officer for Kiplin Hall and Gardens in North Yorkshire, UK. Inspired by a childhood filled with family trips to historic sites, she studied archaeology at university. Through her studies, she realised that she was more interested in objects and their stories rather than digging in the ground. This led her to pursue a career in heritage and museums. Over the la

Tucked away in Thirsk, England is the home of one of the 20th centuries most popular authors James Alfred ‘Alf’ Wight who wrote under the now famous pseudonym James Herriot. On today’s PreserveCast, we’re heading back across the pond to talk with Ian Ashton, the Managing Director of the World of James Herriot to talk about interpreting and preserving the life and legacy of this famed 20th century author.  Ian Ashton, Managing Director of the multi- award-winning World of James Herriot visitor attraction, set up a private company in 2012 to operate the business previously owned by the District Council .The World of James Herriot is now one of the UK’s major attractions and has been voted by Trip Advisor in the Top 10% of best attractions worldwide and has won many accolades in the UK including “Best Small Visitor Attraction in England “ by Visit England.

On this sixth 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.whitneymartin

There is something profoundly satisfying about seeing art produced in front of you – and something mesmerizing about seeing a silhouette cut in mere seconds that captures the look and feel of an individual. Today’s guest is preserving a historic artform passed down through the generations and is helping to tell important and diverse stories with her hands, paper and delicate scissors. On this week’s PreserveCast we’re talking about the history and future of hand cut silhouettes with master artist Lauren Muney. Lauren has been a professional artist, entertainer, special-event producer, and consultant for over 35 years. Alongside her graphic illustration degree from a leading arts college, her experience with live events of all types ranges across the United States, Canada, Australia, and in Asia and Europe.  

History is a big field made up of a variety of disciplines. Finding the right people to do the job can be tough – but one of the nation’s foremost history firms is working to address that challenge with the launch of bestjobsinhistory.com. We’re talking for-profit history and recruiting the best and brightest with Beth Maser and Addison Williams of History Associates Incorporated.   Beth Maser is a recognized senior executive and subject matter expert in knowledge management and brings decades of leadership and digital media expertise from her work in commercial and government markets. As CEO of History Associates, Beth leads the company's growth strategy focused on major industry segments including government, legal, commercial, and associations and nonprofits. Beth and her team are delivering distinct service offerings to clients with expanded capabilities in digitization, culture heritage, litigation research, and advanced uses of technology. Together with her HAI team and strategic partners, Beth helps cl

One of the best ways of learning is by doing – which is exactly what ALHFAM – the Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums is dedicated to supporting. In a digital era, working with your hands is becoming an outlet for expression and sustainable action – topics we dive into with Kathy Dickson, the President of ALHFAM, on this week’s PreserveCast.   Kathy Dickson is the Director of the Museums and Historic Sites Division with the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) where she oversees operations at 25 museums and historical properties across the state. She has served as the president of the Oklahoma Museums Association and the Mountain-Plains Museums Association, and as a board member for ALHFAM. Kathy served as Co-Chair for the 2018 Annual Meeting. Though born in Idaho, Kathy has been in Oklahoma since age 5 which pretty much makes her a native Oklahoman. Kathy started work at the OHS as a seasonal worker right after graduating from college, and they still haven’t been able to get rid of h

At its core, historic preservation should be about instrumentalizing heritage, broadly defined, to sustain communities and promote resilience.” That’s the argument Dr. Erica Avrami makes in one of her most recent publications on the legacy of preservation policy and the future of the field – a compelling and timely topic of conversation on this week’s PreserveCast where we’ll dive deep into what the future of preservation may hold. Erica Avrami, PhD, is the James Marston Fitch Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation at Columbia GSAPP. A preservationist and planner, Avrami also directs the Urban Heritage, Sustainability, and Social Inclusion initiative, and co-directs the Adapting the Existing Built Environment Earth Network. Avrami challenges students to approach preservation as a process of co-learning and co-creating knowledge, engaging multiple publics and disciplines to investigate complex social-spatial histories and navigate the stories and values ascribed to places. Her research and teaching exte

Historic preservationists know that our work isn’t just about physically preserving historic buildings, structures, and sites. It’s also about preserving and celebrating the intangible heritage and culture of people and their communities. I would be remiss, and so would this podcast, if we didn't lead by acknowledging the heart-breaking conflict in Ukraine and the value and importance of those intangible pieces of the Ukrainian identity, too. On this special edition of PreserveCast, we’re sitting down with Rachel Rettaliata to discuss what’s at risk as this illegal and unjust invasion drags on.    

Join us today for another Trades Takeover! Director of The Campaign for Historic Trades (powered by Preservation Maryland) Natalie Henshaw is joined by Abbey Vander Sluis, former member of NPS' Traditional Trades Advancement Program.  Hailing from Knoxville, Tennessee, Abbey Vander Sluis moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee to attend the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology. Abbey originally went to school to become an archaeologist but applied for a myriad of jobs that allowed her to work outdoors, a top priority for her. After finding the Traditional Trades Advancement Program and getting the opportunity to work in a National Park, Abbey became determined to further her career in the National Park Service, finding that preservation was closely tied to archaeology. Abbey currently interns with Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park.  Related: The National Park Service and private industry need tradespeople with specialized skills to preserv

Common wheat is one of most important field crops around the world and has been for millennia. In an effort to bring together different museum sites, living history farms, the “Year on the Field” Project seeks to exchange knowledge about common wheat cultivation through the centuries and in different parts of the world. Sites and farms participating in the project will create a valuable database on different regional cultivation traditions, regional seed varieties and traction methods and enable deep networking on an international level, raising awareness and public interest in agriculture, its historical implications for the present and the future of food production.  

How cities will survive and thrive post-COVID is a question on a lot of people’s minds. Today’s guest has been thinking about the future of cities since before the pandemic and has continued that work as the world grapples with this latest shock to the system. Mac McComas is the senior program manager of the Johns Hopkins University 21st century cities initiative – an effort aimed at providing cities with up-to-date economic information and analysis to help build a more sustainable future.

COVID-19 has changed all of our lives. It is a defining moment for this generation – and for American history – which means that the Smithsonian has made it a priority for collecting and interpreting for future generations. How we will remember this moment is something as a historian I’ve often thought about – and a reason I wanted to sit down with an expert at the Smithsonian who is focused on that very question. On this week’s PreserveCast, we’re sitting down with Dr. Alexandra Lord, the Chair of the Chair Division of Medicine and Science at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History to discuss how that institution is working to capture this moment in history. Dr. Alexandra Lord is an accomplished historian of medicine and health and is a leader in the effort to document COVID – a perfect guest as we approach the two-year anniversary of the onset of the pandemic. More About Our Guest Alexandra Lord is chair of the Division of Medicine and Science at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American

Pretzels. Few words are as synonymous with snacking – and they are ubiquitous on tables across the nation, no matter the region. Today’s guest, Tim Snyder, leads one of America’s oldest pretzel brands – where the history of the twisted treat is almost equally as important as the taste. Connecting food and history is a theme this year on PreserveCast, and this is a great place to start with an icon in the food industry. As a part of our historic foods series – where we’re diving into preserving some of the most iconic foods and brands, we sat down with Tim Snyder, President of the Julius Sturgis Pretzel company, America’s oldest pretzel bakery, based in historic Lititz, Pennsylvania to talk about preserving the history and charting the future of one of America’s favorite snacks. More About Our Guest Since 2006, Tim Snynder has been the President and majority owner of the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, based in historic Lititz, Pennsylvania. A former educator, Tim has worked in the food industry for the past

As a part of our historic foods series – where we’re diving into preserving some of the most iconic foods and brands, we sat down with pizza historian Alexander Hughes to discuss his work chronicling the history of pizza in the United States and Canada and what is being done to preserve this slice of our history. Pizza, history and preservation are three of my favorite things – and it’s rare that they come together under one PreserveCast episode – but that’s what we’ve got in store this week; a topic and conversation made even sweeter by the fact that it is set in my hometown of Buffalo, New York where pizza historian Alexander Hughes conducted much of his research. Get ready for a big bite of food history on this week’s PreserveCast. More About Our Guest Alexander Hughes is a sixth year PhD Candidate in the Department of History at York University.  His soon to be defended dissertation, “Lake Effect Pizza: Pizza Culture and Consumption in Toronto, Ontario and Buffalo, New York 1945-1990” explores the commo

On this episode of PreserveCast, Natalie Henshaw of the Campaign for Historic Trades is talking with Mae Bowley of Re:Purpose Savannah in our first ever trades takeover! Join us as Natalie and Mae discuss all things historic trades. More About Our Guest Mae Bowley moved to Savannah in 2015. Out of a desire to learn more about the charming and mysterious city, she started taking classes in Historic Preservation and Restoration at Savannah Technical College. When she encountered Emergent Structures (parent organization of Re:Purpose Savannah) in 2018, she fell in love. She was an avid volunteer for six months, and was then hired on as Assistant Executive Director. In 2019 Mae took over as Executive Director after her predecessor, Scott Crotzer.

Established in 1969, the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture is the nation’s first-ever ethnic commission and has a 50-year track record of exploring, researching, commemorating and preserving important places associated with the African American history of the Old Line State. On this week’s PreserveCast, we’re talking with Chanel Compton, the Executive Director of the Commission, about their work and the exciting future of African American preservation in Maryland and beyond. The Commission is the oldest ethnic commission in the nation and doesn’t just talk about preserving history – it directly invests millions of dollars in brick-and-mortar projects across the state. It’s a Maryland story with national implications and one we had to bring to PreserveCast. MORE ABOUT OUR GUEST Chanel Compton is inspired and passionate about her role as Executive Director for the Banneker-Douglass Museum (BDM) and Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture (MCAAHC). She also current

The American Civil War was the first war to be truly photo-documented. The haunting images stare back at us and make the brutal conflict real and humanize the tragedy. Yet, for all of the photos, many of the identities of the individuals captured are now unknown. Today, Civil War Photo Sleuth is using modern-day technology to rediscover the lost identities in American Civil War-era photographs. This new endeavor holds tremendous potential not only to uncover the lost history of the Civil War–but of countless other anonymous photographs. On this week’s PreserveCast, we’re talking artificial intelligence, Civil War history and the future of historical investigations.