Most people envision a group of little old ladies wearing pearls, trying to save the oldest house in town from demolition. Well, that's kind of how it all started. You see, in 1853, the Mount Vernon Ladies Association was formed to save the home of George Washington. This was essentially the first attempt at Preservation in the U.S.

Since 1853, we've had many other groups and individuals engage in the effort of preserving our history through its structures. Many things have been done in the government, like the Antiquities Act of 1906 and the National Trust for Historic Preservation to promote preservation and conservation. Still, many beautiful historic buildings have been lost since the demolition of Penn Station in 1963. 

Since the late '90s, it seems that we are a little more focused, in the United States, on preserving what's left. While we owe a lot to the little old ladies wearing pearls, we cannot limit Preservation to them. Preservation of historic architecture includes many buildings and many income levels. 

Perhaps you enjoy going to a local brewery that exists in a 100-year-old building where textiles used to be made. Or you live in a 1950s Ranch House? Or maybe you've visited a cemetery where a loved one is buried and noticed some of the stones there are so old you cannot read the writing anymore. Well, you are likely engaging in some form of Preservation. You see, big old mansions that represent the wealth that existed in the building of our country need to be saved, but the buildings where people worked hard and persevered need to be saved also! And that little two-bedroom house down the street that was built in the 1920s? That needs to be saved too. Preservation is not all about ornate architecture and conservation. It's about adaptability, reuse, and enjoyment of these old buildings. It's about maintaining craftsmanship and artistry from our past. Whether that is a hand-carved corbel or a rough, industrial brick wall. 

So, before you think Preservation is for the ultra wealthy and may not involve you, I challenge you to step back and think about what role you can and may already play in this ongoing effort. Your town, my town, and the United States as a whole has lost far too many old buildings and today, more than ever, we need to focus on saving what's left. We need to do this for our children and their children. Tangible evidence of our past must be left in place, because the only way to a better future is to learn from our past.