Those tasked with interpreting the significance of historical sites like Mount Vernon must weave together the often contradictory threads that contribute to the nation’s story.
Allison Wickens, Vice President of Education at the Mount Vernon historical site, provides some background on historic preservation and interpretation efforts at George Washington’s home, a site weighed down by a complex tapestry of some of the most significant, most impactful, and most shameful aspects of American history.
According to Wickens, “Historic interpretation happens at the intersection of the historic site, the visitors who come to it and the staff who ascribe meaning based on their scholarship and the society in which their institution exists.” In the case of Washington, his leadership of the early republic is marred by slaveownership, while his warnings about political partisanship ring truer than ever.
Historical interpreters must not ‘interpret nostalgia,’ as Wickens puts it, although it is up to visitors to decide whether Mount Vernon’s presentation of Washington’s legacy successfully avoids this trap. For Wickens, “Successful historic interpretation allows us to see ourselves in the past, but it also energizes us to be involved in the world around us today while also looking ahead.”
FULL STORY: Weaving Together Past and Present
Preserving Endangered Historic Sites
How the America’s Most Endangered Places list helps bring important stories out of obscurity.
SLC Reveals Plan for Historic Park
Residents have called for preserving the unique mix of art and nature in Allen Park.
Virginia DOT To Reduce Speed Limit on Richmond Highway
The Alexandria-to-Mount Vernon corridor has one of the highest crash rates on the roadway.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
HUD Cuts Could Derail Mortgage Underwriting Agency
Staffing cuts at the Federal Housing Administration could imperil affordable housing projects and mortgage programs for new homeowners.
Part of San Francisco Waterfront Highway to Become Pedestrian-Only in April
Two miles of the ‘Great Highway’ will be permanently closed to cars, in part due to erosion that makes the road unsafe for vehicles.
El Paso Wastewater Purification Facility Breaks Ground
As water supplies become strained and technology advances, cities look to wastewater as a viable source of drinking water.
Spirit Lake Nation Reclaims 680 Acres After Century-Long Effort
After decades of advocacy, the Spirit Lake Nation successfully reclaimed 680 acres of its original treaty land from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, marking a significant step toward healing and future development.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA)
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research