The Minnesota Historical Society’s Visual Resourse Database has a great collection of historic photographs from throughout the state. You can browse thumbnails very easily—great for researching or just whiling away the time. A new finding aid pulls together the historic images from Norton & Peel, a commercial photography studio that was based in Minneapolis from 1886-1969. As you can guess, the photos range from horse-and-buggy street scenes to growing suburbia. The collection is sorted by decade, so explore your favorite historical period in the Twin Cities via historic photographs. Read more about this great new tool here.

Richard Moe, the president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, announced his retirement in November. This recent article in Architect magazine is not only a great retrospective of Moe’s career and the changes he brought about at the National Trust, but also a great primer on the many and varied tenets of historic preservation. A great read—and positive reinforcement for those of us in the trenches. Enjoy!

An unsuspecting young salesman from The Window Store just had the misfortune of ringing my doorbell. My “Not interested,” which I delivered as soon as he introduced himself, was not enough to deter him. So, instead of getting a quick and easy brush-off, he got a30-second diatribe as to why I am adamantly opposed to what he does—market replacement windows so aggressively that salesmen go door-to-door in the dead of winter. I threw a few window rehab facts at him—that there’s no good reason to replace historic wood windows, that replacement contributes to the landfill and wastes resources through intensive manufacturing processes—and his eyes grew wider with every word. Hoping that he is young and impressionable—and maybe even a little uniformed, himself—I referred him to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which has pages of information about window rehabilitation as an alternative to replacement. (I was a little reluctant to divulge my association with the Preservation Alliance, lest he come back later and egg my house, or something. Admittedly, I could have been nicer to him, but he rang when I was in the middle of cleaning the litter box and my kids were upstairs alone, so I had to rush up from the basement. Why can’t the door-to-door sales types understand that there is almost never a good time to interrupt somebody at home?)

Do you have facts at the ready to deliver a 30-second defense for historic windows, for those times when the window salespeople come knocking at your door? If you need some refreshing, read my earlier Window Talk post in the Field Notes blog, peruse the resources listed with the 10 Most Endangered listing of Historic Wood Windows, read the March/April 2008 issue of the Minnesota Preservationist, or go in-depth at PreservationNation.org

I know I’d catch more bees with honey, and all, but I was a little unprepared myself. This visit served as a bit of a wake-up call—and definitely an opportunity. Maybe if all of us could be a little more prepared, we’d make inroads with the salespeople themselves—who would see the light and turn to window restoration instead.  Zach-the-salesguy, if you’re reading this, I hope you’ve learned something. (And I’ll try to be nicer the next time you ring my doorbell—I promise.)

The other day, I was having idle conversation with a friend about White Castle, and she said something about the “White Castle accordion shop.” What?!? (I wonder if those four words had ever before been strung together in the English language.) I was familiar with the White Castle on Lyndale Ave. S. in Minneapolis that had been turned into a jewelry store—apparently lots of people took pride in saying that they bought their wedding rings at White Castle—but was confused by the reference to an accordion. Turns out the jewelry store has closed, and the accordion shop has moved in. What a great new business for something as off-beat as an original White Castle!

The first—and only—time I’ve ever eaten a White Castle was last spring, when the Ramsey County Historical Society hosted a lecture by a long-time White Castle employee who is the corporation’s Twin Cities historian. He pointed out the ever-evolving designs of White Castle restaurants, which raises some interesting issues for historic preservation. Given that fast-food restaurants are such a significant part of our modern culture, it seems that the most historically intact of them should be identified and preserved. But most fast-food corporations have a policy of planned replacement. Relatively few of them retain the original characteristics that would allow them to be considered historically significant.

The Wisconsin Historical Society has done some research on this topic, and the LA Conservancy’s successful campaign to save the world’s oldest remaining McDonalds is well known, at least in preservation circles. Here in the Twin Cities, I know of an old Dairy Queen in Roseville, and am starting to think that the Taco Bell on Snelling Ave. N. in the Midway area of St. Paul might be considered vintage. (Back in the ’70s, it was a Zantigos.)

As for me, I get a little teary-eyed thinking about the McDonald playland of my youth, located on Robert Street in West St. Paul. I recently drove my kids by it to make sure it is still there—it is, but a sign says it is closed and obviously inaccessible. My fellow neighbor kids and I loved our occasional excursions to this McDonalds across town, because the playground was elevated on a bluff above the restaurant. To get there, we had to walk up a steep path, or take a little train. I’m sure the moms loved it because we were worn out before we even started playing. The playground itself had all the usual equipment—the Grimace cage, a fiberglass tree filled with Fry Guys, and a fairly ominous Hamburglar slide looming over the entire park. On my recent drive-by, I think I caught a glimpse of Grimace through the snow, but can’t be sure. I’ll have to case it out again, come spring.

(This post is proof positive that even professional preservationists aren’t immune to nostalgia.)

As always, I’m open to your comments—and examples of fast food places worth preserving. Contact me at PAMfieldnotes@gmail.com

I will be one of five panelists for the final event of Historic Saint Paul’s Green Retrofit series. Join us for what is sure to be a lively discussion at the SPNN studios on Tuesday, Jan. 26, from 5:00-7:30. An hour-long open house precedes the program, which will begin at 6:00. While the event will be taped for later broadcast on SPNN (cable channels 14, 15, 16, or 19), a live, studio audience is welcome to attend and get the information well ahead of the general viewing public.

The panelists will talking about insulation, energy efficiency, windows, the Minnesota Green Star program, and other topics related to making older residential buildings more “green.” I’ll post an update after the event, both to summarize the panel discussion, and to let you know when it will be broadcast. Stay tuned!

Minnesota Public Radio has reported that Gov. Pawlenty has announced a deal for the state to $18 million for 10 miles of Lake Vermilion shoreline to create a new state park. The property, owned by U.S. Steel and adjacent to the Soudan Underground Mine State Park, would have been developed for residential lots, if the state park proposal had not come through. I had recently approached someone in the area about submitting a 10 Most Endangered Historic Places nomination for the area. Lake Vermilion is spectacular (and the Stuntz Bay boathouses are really cool)—definitely a place worth preserving for all of us to enjoy. I am relieved that the state park proposal may actually pan out.

More recent coverage on the Lake Vermilion State Park proposal:

Star Tribune editorial, Jan. 21, 2010

Timberjay editorial, Jan. 19, 2010

MPR story, Jan. 15, 2010

Timberjay story, Jan. 14, 2010

I recently wrote a letter to the editor of the Arrowhead Leader, a newspaper in Moose Lake, Minnesota. Since I suspect that the newspaper’s circulation is rather small, and an online version is not available, I am printing my letter here, with a link to a PDF copy of the original article. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Dear Ms. Johnson:

I am writing to tell you how much I enjoyed reading John Schwoch’s article about the Moody Barn, printed in the Dec. 24, 2009 issue of the Arrowhead Leader. Here at the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, we subscribe to a clipping service so we can keep tabs on historic preservation activity throughout the state. Most of the time, the articles that are sent tell us of buildings that are threatened with demolition, or are the subject of local political battles, or have been victims of a devastating fire. Mr. Schoch’s article reflecting on first finding this unique, historic barn, and then searching it out again and considering another pilgrimage to the site on Christmas Eve, warmed my heart and inspired my daily work to save other important historic places throughout the state. Thank you for publishing this piece.

To all of you, best wishes for 2010.

As someone who is solidly in the “35-44” age bracket, I will admit to a certain fascination with Facebook. (Have you read “Why Facebook is for Old Fogies?” The author took the yet-unformed words right out of my mouth.) Aside from checking out pictures of my friends’ adorable children, and finding out more than I ever thought I’d want to know about my high school classmates’ adult lives, I’ve found Facebook to be a valuable tool for preservation advocacy. While our own attempts to build a social network have been only moderately successful (we’re still newbies at this, and we’re busy), other groups have done a great job building a constituency of people who care about particular historic resources.

Not surprisingly, one of the most successful recent preservation-minded groups has a large contingency of youngsters. (The word “youngsters,” in and of itself, identifies me as middle-aged, doesn’t it?) The Rock Island Bridge Coalition, which started as “Save the Rock Island Swing Bridge,” has 528 members, many of whom are somehow affiliated with the group of Simley High School students who kicked off advocacy and fundraising efforts last spring. Keith Joyce, the group’s creator and a member of the Inver Grove Heights Park and Recreation Commission (and of my age demographic) posts regularly about news, events, and other happenings related to the preservation and rehabilitation of this bridge, which was one of the Alliance’s 10 Most Endangered sites in 2009.

Another 10 Most site that immediately received its own Facebook fan page was the Big Fish in Bena. Another whopper of a group (at least as far as local preservation efforts are concerned), Fans of the Big Fish – Bena, Minnesota has almost 500 members. The recent restoration of the Fish was funded by a private donation by Bell Mortgage, so the Facebook page has been used largely for posting stories and photos—including a recent fan pic of the Fish in holiday attire.

Two potentially endangered sites in Saint Paul also have their own Facebook pages. “Save the Victoria Theater” was created in October 2009, when a neighboring business signed a purchase agreement to buy the theater and demolish it for parking. The Facebook page has been an impressive vehicle for spreading information about the historic significance of the building, which was previously unknown to preservationists, and has 378 members at present.

The “Save 3M Building 21” Facebook page was created to raise awareness about the Saint Paul Port Authority’s redevelopment plans for the 3M Main Plant site on the East Side of Saint Paul. Although the site only a few dozen fans (so far), it is chock full of great photographs and the Notes section of the page includes excerpts from the various historical and architectural publications, information that will be critical in making a case for the site’s preservation.

I hope I am not the only one who is somewhat flummoxed by Facebook’s organization, though. Some pages are set up as Groups, others as Pages, still others as People that can be “friended,” as opposed to “fanned,” and there are Cause pages, too. I wonder if the success or viability of Facebook as a networking and advocacy tool depends somewhat on how easy it is to find the various pages/groups/sites. For example, Historic Augusta, a local non-profit preservation organization in Georgia, is set up as a Person (first name, Historic; last name, Augusta) and has almost 2,500 friends. This in contrast to the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (first name, PAM; last name—not needed, since we’re in the same realm of Cher and Madonna) which is set up as a Group and has 409 fans. Even the National Trust for Historic Preservation (emphasis on “national”) has a mere 8,800 fans on Facebook. The Michigan Historic Preservation Network, which is set up as a Cause page so that it can take online donations, has 475 members (and has raised $375). What gives?

I suspect it has something to do with the level of interaction, and maybe these other groups are very savvy in their outreach. As I said, we’re busy, but not too busy to respond to comments on our Wall or to send out interesting bits and blurbs from time to time. Please become a fan of ours, if you aren’t already. Friend/fan/join these other groups, too. And if you know of other grass-roots preservation efforts that are using Facebook, please let me know about them so I can, at the very least, see what makes them tick: PAMfieldnotes@gmail.com Thanks!

In the past several weeks, I have received numerous calls and e-mails about threatened historic schools throughout the state. Maybe people are contacting us in response to our recent schools-themed issue of the Minnesota Preservationist. Or maybe the situation facing school districts is more dire than ever. I have heard that demographic changes—i.e., declining school enrollments—are projected, and money is tight everywhere. What boggles me is that there are such great reuse opportunities for school buildings, and historic schools are so integrally tied to community character. Historic buildings should be a preservation slam-dunk—what is standing in the way?

It can’t be the lack of good examples. Dozens, if not hundreds, of schools have been reused as affordable, market-rate, and senior housing. St. Paul developer MetroPlains has alone done numerous such projects in former schools throughout our region:

Stonehouse Apartments, Cannon Falls, MN

Washington Crossing, Winona, MN

Riverwood Pines, Little Falls, MN

School House Apartments, Beulah, ND

Academy Park, Devils Lake, ND

Alcott Manor, Grand Forks, ND

Old Main, Canton, SD

Lincoln Park, Newton, KS

Mundinger Hall and Rehwinkel Hall, Winfield, KS

Marquette Manor, Two Rivers, WI

Pearl Place, Belvidere, IL

Another example is the Lincoln School apartments (now condos) in Eugene, Oregon, which features a fabulous open-air courtyard in the location of the original gym/auditorium (check out photo #10)—what many developers would probably think of as wasted space. The Lenox School condominiums in Memphis always caught my eye, too. A quick Google search turned up yet more examples, in Albuquerque, Moline, Madison, Seattle, Boston, Richmond, and Atlanta.

Lest you think that housing is the only option, here are some examples of historic schools reused as offices in Illinois, Texas, and Las Vegas, as a men’s homeless shelter and recovery center in Alabama, and as a convention center in Kentucky.

And, let’s not forget the feasibility of continuing to use the schools for their original purposes, as these three examples in Pennsylvania, and an entire list on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s website, attest.

I’ll write more about historic schools—including some information on the ones that are threatened in Minnesota—in an upcoming post. In the meantime, if you have solutions, concerns, or other ideas to share, e-mail me at PAMfieldnotes@gmail.com.

Have you heard about Minnesota’s weatherization program for low-income residents, which got a huge boost in funding from the federal stimulus bill? (If not, read about it on Congressman Jim Oberstar’s Facebook blog or check out the nifty graphs on the Department of Energy’s web page.)

Preservation advocates, including the staff of the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, at first were concerned that this money would go towards window replacement, artificial siding, and other so-called “improvements” that could seriously affect historic fabric. (Historic windows are a particular item of concern for the Preservation Alliance.) But, as it turns out, the state administrators of this program are on our same page. One state staffer recently stated to a member of the SHPO staff that the program was “not interested in window replacement, because that’s not where heat loss comes from.” How is that for validation?

You might not be imagining things if your home feels drafty, though. Oodles of weatherization resources are available on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s website, including featured downloads on topics such as Energy Efficient Strategies for Cold Climates. If that is not enough, the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s State Energy Office has published a Minnesota Weatherization Field Guide with lots of technical data (it is intended for pros) and some good illustrations. There’s even a picture that explains how to close off the air leaks within the walls of an old, balloon-framed house. (Balloon framing was the most common type of house construction through the early 1900s.)

We’d like to know how concerned you are about weatherization and energy efficiency of your historic or older building, so drop us a line at PAMfieldnotes@gmail.com

Stay warm and healthy!