A Brief Overview of Historic Preservation
The late 20th century saw the development of legislations and institutions dedicated to the preservation of historic and cultural heritage. As such, preservation is a cross-disciplinary concern for historians, archaeologists, sociologists, lawyers, and city, state, and federal officials. But what is historic preservation? Preservation, broadly defined, is the act of protecting and maintaining objects or places of historic or cultural significance. Preservation is also a blanket term that includes conservation and restoration. Conservation is the act of stabilizing and protecting objects from physical deterioration, which requires specialized skills. Restoration is the act of reconstructing and repairing objects that have already deteriorated.[1]
The National Park Service’s (NPS) Preservation Briefs provide an excellent overview of preservation for historic landscapes and cemeteries, with guidelines on creating and implementing preservation plans. It is crucial for preservationists to make detailed plans, documenting the preservation (and restoration, if needed) of historic landmarks and objects of cultural heritage. Proper knowledge of cleaning chemicals such as D2 – a chemical designed to clean off dirt and mold without damaging the grave marker itself – is crucial to proper grave marker maintenance. Cemeteries are vulnerable not only to the various forces of nature, but to vandalism, looting, and development, making it crucial to preserve the sites that house our dead.[2]
[1] Lynnette Strangstad, A Graveyard Preservation Primer, Second Edition. (Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press) 2013, pg. 13
[2] Mary F. Striegel, Frances Gale, Jason Church, & Debbie Dietrich-Smith, Preservation Briefs 48 – Preserving Grave Markers in Historic Cemeteries. (Preservation Assistance, National Park Service, U. S. Department of the Interior) 2016, https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/preservedocs/preservation-briefs/48Preserve-Brief-GraveMarkers.pdf, 1-2