Get to know: Ned Hector

Ned Hector is a Revolutionary War hero, a free black man, who was a teamster and noted for his courage during the retreat from the Battle of Brandywine, where he refused to give up his horses, wagon and the armaments he was carrying.

Noah Lewis of Upper Darby, PA brings Edward “Ned” Hector to life as a costumed educator at presentations for children and adults alike at schools, clubs and historic sites. We were introduced to Noah by Judy Anastasi, President of the Norwood Historical Society in Delaware County, as an exemplary historian and teacher, as we continue our research for the Delaware County Public History Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan.

Noah dresses in costume of the Third Pennsylvania Artillery Company to bring his message—his passion—about the role of African-Americans in the Colonial fight for freedom during the Revolutionary War. Noah says he is an unlikely person to serve as a Revolutionary War costumed interpreter given his background, but he is a convincing and meticulous researcher about his character, Ned.

Noah uses both first person and third person interpretation throughout his presentations, which allows him, as Ned Hector, to explore universal themes about liberty, courage and responsibility. His teaching has been lauded throughout the region and he returns year after year to certain elementary and middle schools as teachers continue to invite him to bring Revolutionary War lessons to life.

You should get to know more about Ned Hector and Noah Lewis. View the web site at www.nedhector.com for more information.

Thank you New Jersey Voters! Public Question #1 passes!

The Keep it Green Coalition, of which two clients Preservation New Jersey and the Pinelands Preservation Alliance are part, are celebrating a victory at the polls this week. Public Question #1 passed 52 to 48 percent. This bond question provides funding for two more years for open space preservation as well as $12 million in bricks and mortar funding for the New Jersey Historic Trust to give away to worthy historic preservation projects statewide. Congratulations to Preservation New Jersey and Ron Emrich for his hard work to get this done!   For more information check the Preservation New Jersey web site and blog.  www.preservationnj.org,.

Pinelands Heritage Forum next Saturday November 14 in Hammonton NJ

The Pinelands Preservation Alliance is hosting it second Heritage Forum on Saturday November 14 at the Eagle Theater in Hammonton NJ to bring together preservation constituents for networking, learning about new projects, and identifying key agenda items for the future.

If you are working in heritage or preservation in your community, we invite you to attend.  More information, including the agenda is available on the Pinelands Preservation Alliance web site, or by clicking here.

http://www.pinelandsalliance.org/history/pinelandshistory/pinelandsheritagepartnership/

This program is free and starts at 9AM next Saturday. Please contact me for further information. Hope to see you there!

New Jersey: Vote YES on Public Question #1-funding for NJHT

Two New Jersey clients–Preservation New Jersey and the Pinelands Preservation Alliance– have been working hard for months as part of the Keep it Green Coalition to push for passage of Public Question #1 on Tuesday, Election Day November 3.

Information about this important bond issue that would fund for two years the New Jersey Historic Trust is below. If you are a New Jersey voter, please continue your support for historic preservation funding by voting YES on Tuesday. The information below is from Preservation New Jersey’s blog, with click throughs for more information.

VOTE on Tuesday, November 3rd for preservation of New Jersey Heritage

It’s a long title – Green Acres, Water Supply and Flood Plain Protection, and Farmland and Historic Preservation Act of 2009 – but worth voting for!  On Tues., Nov 3, once again voters will be going to the polls to re-affirm your support and commitment to historic preservation grants, open space acquisition and farmland protection by approving a $400 million bond measure. And once again, the only choice is between a short-term solution and no solution.

Preservation New Jersey supports a stable, long-term funding mechanism for historic preservation and open space. However, PNJ recognizes the critical the need for a short-term funding solution until such time as a permanent source is identified, and therefore supports Question #1.  Read more about the ballot question here and here.

Please vote YES.

Richard Moe talks about New Themes, New Tactics for Historic Sites

Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Places writes in his monthly President’s Note in the November/December 2009 issue of Preservation magazine, about the work being undertaken now by the Trust called Historic Sites Task Force. According to Moe, this is an organization-wide effort chaired by a trustee, to identify lessons learned from several studies undertaken in the last year on Trust-owned historic sites to assess financial sustainability and relevance.

The Trust, as the owner of 29 historic sites across the country, is probably in the best position to lead by example and teach the nation’s historic sites about the necessity for organizational and financial sustainability.  By using their own properties as field labs for new ideas, and widely publishing their results, the Trust could make the case that not every historic house museum should remain so.  

This was one of the very promising ideas that Jim Vaughn, Vice President for Stewardship of Historic Properties at the Trust, brought up during the April 2007 Kykuit conference. This conference,  held at the NTHP historic site Kykuit in Tarrytown (the former Rockefeller estate) brought together 30 invited leaders in the historic site field nationwide to discuss the future of house museums. Coincidently, the conference occurred the week my book New Solutions for House Museums: Ensuring the Long Term Preservation of America’s Historic Homes was published by AltaMira Press.  I was invited to speak at the Kykuit conference about my research and share the case studies of 12 historic sites that made a transition to a new use or user to ensure the historic site was maintained for the long-term, even if it was no longer used a historic house museum. 

Moe’s article this month says that ”special tasks forces have been examining the challenges and facing  ”Chesterwood, Lyndhurst and Woodlawn … and already helped all three sites to take steps toward greater sustainability.”

While the article does not give any hint what the “new strategic approaches” might be for the Trust-owned properties, I hope that they will be pioneers of some “new solutions” with their properties.  Moe notes that the “alarming declines in visitation and subsequent drops in income at historic destinations coast to coast,  is being fueled by changing travel habits and economic conditions.”  

The Trust is trying to “reinvent” some of its sites with the support of local volunteers and staff.  This is an excellent step. If the Trust is not afraid to try some “new solutions” for its own sites, then perhaps struggling historic sites around the country may follow suit. 

I am anxiously waiting to hear more about the work of the Trust’s Historic Sites Task Force.  I hope it could be the sea change we need to create a new future for the preservation of so many struggling historic sites across America.

 

Wall Street Journal article about the decline of school field trips

Susie Wilkening of Reach Advisors Museum Audience Insight has a wonderful blog that discusses much of her audience research on all types of museums including historic sites.

Today she posted an article about a Wall Street Journal article in today’s paper about the decline in school field trips.  Here is the link to the WSJ article. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703574604574499283752291324.html?mod=article-outset-box#articleTabs%3Darticle

Susie argues that this trend is chilling to museums and by extension to historic sites, because it further limits young people’s exposure to real, hands on history. I agree. 

The work we are doing right now for the Delaware County (PA) Planning Department on the Public History Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan is confronting this issue as well. We heard from virtually all of the historic sites we interviewed, that school tour visits are down.

Historic site administrators in Delaware County (PA) tell us they believe there are a variety of reasons for the decline in school tours: lack of money for bus transportation for field trips,  the emphasis on testing which makes every instructional hour in the class room essential and field trips less important and finally the inability to make connections to local educators who see the value in a field trip to a historic site. All of these ideas seem to make sense, and some are discussed in the WSJ article.

However, I believe that if historic sites would provide appropriate plans and  engaging school tours and activities that meet the Pennsylvania educational standards for history education for specific grades,  this would go a long way to help make the case for school tours to individual historic sites. I plan to write more about this issue in the coming months as we get further into our research. Until then, please send me your comments.

Introduction to Commercial District Revitalization talk tomorrow in Philly

For the Philadelphia Commerce Department, I am conducting a half day long presentation called “Introduction to Downtown Revitalization” tomorrow October 27th from 1:30 to 5PM .  This free training workshop is designed for the many Community Development Corporations, chambers of commerce or merchants associations that receive some kind of city funding for facade improvements or other commercial corridor work throughout the city.  A representative from the Local Initiatives Support Corporation will be presenting half an hour about Clean and Safe efforts in urban neighborhoods. There is a module on each of the four typical Main Street committees (plus Clean and Safe) and an overview of the work of commercial corridor organizations to improve these vital neighborhoods shopping districts for residents and visitor alike.

The agenda is below.

 

Philadelphia Commerce Department

Main Street 101

An introduction to commercial district revitalization

October 27, 2009

 

1:30     Welcome and introductions—Jim Flaherty, Philadelphia Commerce Department, Andy Friscoff, Philadelphia Commerce Department

1:35     Participant introductions

1:40     Introduction to Main Street—Donna Ann Harris, Heritage Consulting Inc.

Introduce the 5 points, 8 principles, role of board/committees/staff, overview of the work of each committee

2:20     Clean and safe committee –Mona Mangat or Julia Ryan, Local Initiative Support Corporation–what does this committee do? who should be on committee, typical first year projects

2:50     Organization committee—Donna Ann Harris–what does this committee do? who should be on committee, typical first year projects

3:20     Economic restructuring committee- -what does this committee do? who should be on committee, typical first year projects

3:45     Design committee—Donna Ann Harris–what does this committee do? who should be on committee, typical first year projects

4:05     Promotion committee –Donna Ann Harris–what does this committee do, who should be on committee, typical first year projects

4:30     Tying it all together for a revitalized commercial corridor—Donna Ann Harris and Jim Flaherty

4:45     Questions and answers

If you are interested in seeing the handouts, please contact me directly.

Pinelands Preservation Alliance’s Heritage Forum on Nov. 14th

One of my favorite clients, the Pinelands Preservation Alliance will be hosting a half day conference on Saturday November 14th at the Eagle Theater in Hammonton NJ. The press release about this event tells it all.
The Pinelands Heritage Partnership is an effort by the Pinelands Preservation Alliance and many others dedicated to historic preservation in this region. We aim to become a stronger force for preservation by working together – making the whole more than the sum of our many individual efforts. 

The Pinelands Heritage Partnership Forum will be held on Saturday, November 14th in Hammonton at the newly restored Eagle Theater. This FREE program will begin at 8:30AM and include light breakfast and lunch, and end at 2:30PM. 

The agenda and contact information is below.

PINELANDS HERITAGE PARTNERSHIP FORUM AGENDA

Saturday November 14

Eagle Theater, 208 Vine Street, Hammonton, NJ

 

8-8:45 am        Sign-in, Coffee and Pastries

 

9:00                 Welcome–Carleton Montgomery, Executive Director, Pinelands Preservation Alliance and Ron Emrich, Executive Director, Preservation New Jersey

9:10                 Focus Groups:   Opportunities and Challenges for Historic Resources in the Pinelands–Donna Ann Harris, Principal Heritage Consulting Inc.

9:30                 Communicating the Message: Using New Technologies

Harrisville Tour Podcast—Barbara Solem Stull and Carleton Montgomery

Student Film about Dr. Sill, Black Doctor of the Pines – Joseph Laufer, Burlington County Historian

Wharton State Forest Cell Phone Tour – Janet Worrell, Treasurer, Batsto Citizens Committee

Using Facebook, MySpace and Other Social Media – Ron Emrich, Executive Director, Preservation New Jersey

10:30                           Break

10:40                           Heritage Tourism and Funding – Reports on Progress

New Jersey Heritage Tourism Program – John Seitter, Vice Chair, Governors Heritage Tourism Task Force

South Jersey Tourism’s Ecotourism Initiative – Jake Buganski, Acting Executive Director, South Jersey Tourism Corp.

Southern Pinelands Scenic Byway – Michael Hogan, Co-Chair, Southern Pinelands Natural Heritage Trail Committee

New Jersey Historic Trust: What’s Next? – Catherine Goulet, Principal Historic Preservation Specialist, New Jersey Historic Trust

11:45                           Break

12:00                           Topical Roundtables and Discussion– Facilitator – Donna Ann Harris

1. State legislative issues and incentives (Table facilitator: Ron Emrich, Executive Director, Preservation New Jersey)

2. Encouraging municipalities to pass strong preservation ordinances (Table facilitator: Stephanie Cherry-Farmer, Programs Director, Preservation New Jersey)

3. Coordination and cooperation between sites and historic societies across county lines (Table facilitator: Flavia Alaya, Chair, Bridgeton Historic Commission

4. Heritage tourism in the Pinelands (Table facilitator: Liz Moritz, Councilwoman Tuckerton Borough)

5. Encouraging private sector philanthropy for historic preservation (Table facilitator: Carleton Montgomery)

6. Review of county wide historic sites surveys, filling in gaps (Table facilitator: TBD)

12:45                           Lunch

1:30                             Presentation of Roundtable Results

2:00                             Plenary Discussion: How Do We Move Forward Together?  Facilitator – Donna Ann Harris

2:30                             Wrap up, Summary and Next Steps  Carleton Montgomery

For more information or to register, please contact Mike at Pinelands Preservation Alliance at

mikeh@pinelandsalliance.org  or (609) 859-8860 x24

 

 

Community Restoration and Revitalization Act introduced

From Preservation Action, comes word today  that the long hoped for and revised version of the Investment Tax Credit for Rehabilitation was finally been introduced into Congress yesterday. Now called the Community Restoration nd Revitalization Act, if enacted, could have a dramatic impact on smaller revitalization projects across the country. Here is the press release from the weekly email from Preservation Action.

Revised Community Restoration and Revitalization Act Introduced  

Senators Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), along with Representatives Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) and Pat Tiberi (R-OH), reintroduced the much anticipated Community Restoration and Revitalization Act H.R. 3715, on Thursday, October 1st.   The bill seeks to modify the existing federal rehabilitation tax credit program to better encourage re-use of historic buildings and to promote energy efficiency.  Some highlights include:

• Increased credit for “small” projects of $5 million or less 
• Provides a credit for rehabilitating older, non-historic buildings in downtown areas for residential use
• Defines “older building” as 50 years or more
• Transferability of credit for smaller projects

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has developed a new Legislative Summary on the bill.  We have created a new web page for additional information on this bill, as well as H.R. 3670 discussed below. 

Several weeks ago, Preservation Action signed a letter of endorsement from the Historic Tax Credit Coalition.  We also encourage all of our members to contact their Senators’ and Representatives’ offices to ask for their support.

H.R. 3670, Historic Homeowners Revitalization Act of 2009 Introduced

As expected and reported in last week’s Legislative Update, on Tuesday, September 29th, the Historic Homeowners Revitalization Act of 2009 was introduced by Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO).  The list of co-sponsors has grown to 22.  To see the list of sponsors, our letter of endorsement and other materials, visit our new tax credit web page.

Coburn Amendement on Transportation Enhancement money defeated!

 

I am a long term member of the American Association for State and Local History and an article in their monthly newsletter Dispatch contains information about the defeat of the recent effort by Senator Coburn to eliminate museums from Federal Transportation Enhancement funds.

Here is the press release below (reprinted from the American Association of Museums)

 

Advocacy Efforts Defeat Coburn/McCain Amendment

Thanks to the efforts of AASLH members and other museum advocates, the Coburn/McCain amendment (S. Amdt. 2372)—which would have prohibited ANY funding from the Transportation Appropriations bill (H.R. 3288) from going to ANY museum—was defeated on the Senate floor on September 16.

 The amendment, which states, “None of the funds made available by this Act may be used for a museum,” was rejected by a vote of 41-57!

An additional amendment offered by Senators Tom Coburn (R-OK) and John McCain (R-AZ)—(S. Amdt. 2371) which would have waived a requirement that states set aside 10% of their overall funding for Transportation Enhancements (including historic preservation and museums, among other programs)—was also defeated by a vote of 39-59.

Sen. Coburn had initially offered another amendment (S. Amdt. 2370) that would have prohibited funding from going to transportation museums and other TE projects, but later withdrew it.

Since 1992, the Transportation Enhancement Program has provided at least $110.6 million to support museums. During Senate floor debate, Senator Coburn repeatedly referred to museums as “low-priority” entities that did not deserve federal transportation funds in these difficult economic times.

In response, Senators Tom Carper (D-DE) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) defended Transportation Enhancement (TE) projects and highlighted their value to communities.

“Thanks so much for the calls you made against this amendment,” said Terry Davis, AASLH President and CEO. “Working together, museums are a force to be reckoned with!”

Information reprinted from the American Association of Museums website.