Preservation Ethics in the Case of Nebraska's Nationally Registered Historic Properties
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University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Theses and Dissertations in Geography Geography Program (SNR) Summer 7-29-2010 PRESERVATION ETHICS IN THE CASE OF NEBRASKA’S NATIONALLY REGISTERED HISTORIC PROPERTIES Darren Michael Adams University of Nebraska at Lincoln, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/geographythesis Part of the Agency Commons, American Politics Commons, American Popular Culture Commons, Architectural History and Criticism Commons, Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, Community-Based Research Commons, Construction Law Commons, Cultural History Commons, Cultural Resource Management and Policy Analysis Commons, Economic History Commons, Historic Preservation and Conservation Commons, History of Religion Commons, Human Geography Commons, Indian and Aboriginal Law Commons, Legislation Commons, Other Legal Studies Commons, Other Political Science Commons, Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons, Place and Environment Commons, Political Economy Commons, Political History Commons, Politics and Social Change Commons, Public Administration Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Regional Sociology Commons, Religion Law Commons, Rural Sociology Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons, Social History Commons, Social Policy Commons, Sociology of Culture Commons, Tourism Commons, Urban, Community and Regional Planning Commons, Urban Studies Commons, and the Urban Studies and Planning Commons Adams, Darren Michael, "PRESERVATION ETHICS IN THE CASE OF NEBRASKA’S NATIONALLY REGISTERED HISTORIC PROPERTIES" (2010). Theses and Dissertations in Geography. 6. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/geographythesis/6 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Geography Program (SNR) at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations in Geography by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. PRESERVATION ETHICS IN THE CASE OF NEBRASKA’S NATIONALLY REGISTERED HISTORIC PLACES by Darren M. Adams A DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Doctor of Philosophy Major: Geography Under the Supervision of Professor David Wishart Lincoln, Nebraska August, 2010 PRESERVATION ETHICS IN THE CASE OF NEBRASKA’S NATIONALLY REGISTERED HISTORIC PLACESACT Darren M. Adams, Ph.D. University of Nebraska, 2010 Adviser: David Wishart This dissertation focuses on the National Register of Historic Places and considers the geographical implications of valuing particular historic sites over others. Certain historical sites will either gain or lose desirability from one era to the next, this dissertation identifies and explains three unique preservation ethical eras, and it maps the sites which were selected during those eras. These eras are the Settlement Era (1966 – 1975), the Commercial Architecture Era (1976 – 1991), and the Progressive Planning Era (1992 – 2010). The findings show that transformations in the program included an early phase when state authorities listed historical resources pertaining to the settlement of the state, and also to Native American village archeological sites. At that time, authorities viewed road and bridge construction projects as threats to historic sites. After the passage of the 1976 Tax Reform Act, common citizens gained considerable site selection power. Motivated by tax advantages, such citizens favored commercial architecture, changing the geography of the National Register. In addition, in 1992 authorities wrote the Highway Bridges in Nebraska 1870 – 1942 documentation, and layed out plans for the selection of bridges, roads, and for the renovation of entire sections of decaying inner-cities. As part of the dissertation research, data were gathered using the National Park Service’s national register information system database, and were acquired during personal interviews with state historic preservation employees. Information was also noted while directly in the field. In order to examine how minorities are being represented at sites, a field study was conducted which involved visiting thirty-two minority sites (twenty-two Native American, and ten African American sites). Lewis’ (1979) and Meinig’s (1979) landscape analysis approaches informed the field study, and the researcher used the versatile narrative-descriptive approach (as recommended by Mink [1987] and by Tuan [1991]) to analyze and describe the general datum trends. This dissertation serves decision-makers by providing an evaluation of past trends in historic site selection processes and consequently assists them in discerning historical significance and cultural value. It concludes with prognostication about future patterns in historic preservation and recommends research into areas including the fifty-year rule, and nationally-scaled preservation ethics. © Copyright by Darren M. Adams 2010 All Rights Reserved iv DEDICATION I dedicate this dissertation to several noteworthy individuals, especially… to Joshua A. for friendship; to Keri A. for witty dialogues; to Amanda A. for her veteranarian-style concern for animals; to Paula A. for camaraderie; to Will S. for his perceptiveness; to Bill C., Jerry C., Richard V., and Alan M. for clean humor; to Fred R., and Burl I. for examples of gentleness; to Howard S., and Dr. Don W. for vigilance; to Francis de A., and devout Simeon for firm and resolute character; to Abigail A. for being frolicsome, loyal, quick to forgive, and non-accusatory; to Grandpa H. Christensen for altruism; to Grandpa M. Fisher, and Mr. Guilfoyle for dignity, duty, maturaty, and civility; to Cesar M. (an exemplary behavioral physician); and to the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness, sustenance, attentiveness, and blessings. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I want to express appreciation for the assistance provided by Dr. David Wishart, and by current and former employees of the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Office (including Bob Puschendorf, Stacy Stupka-Burda, David Murphy, and Jill Dolberg). vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................................................II DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................................ IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................................... V TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................... VI LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................ VIII LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................................... X CHAPTER 1: RESEARCH AND THE GEOGRAPHY OF PRESERVATION BEHAVIOR .............. 1 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ...................................................................................................................... 1 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH ...................................................................................................................... 2 KEY CONCEPTS .......................................................................................................................................... 3 Preservation Ethic ................................................................................................................................. 3 Preservation Scenario............................................................................................................................ 4 The National Register ............................................................................................................................ 6 METHODOLOGY SECTION ......................................................................................................................... 8 Collecting Data about Nebraska’s Nationally Registered Historic Places ........................................... 8 Data Classification ................................................................................................................................ 9 Field Evaluation of Minority Sites ....................................................................................................... 25 Narrative-Descriptive Analysis ............................................................................................................ 28 LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................................................................. 29 Site Advocacy Studies .......................................................................................................................... 29 Site Evaluation Studies ........................................................................................................................ 30 Site Preservation Impacts .................................................................................................................... 31 Site Character Classification Studies .................................................................................................. 32 Spatial Distribution of Site Types .......................................................................................................