PreserveCast

The Williamsburg Bray School with Dr. Maureen Elgersman Lee

Join us on this week’s PreserveCast as we talk with Dr. Maureen Elgersman Lee about her work at the Bray School Lab at William & Mary. Dr. Lee shares some background on the Williamsburg Bray school that was hidden in plain sight for over 200 years on the William & Mary campus in Virginia, and some of its history as the oldest extant building dedicated to the education of Black children in the United States.

BIO: Dr. Maureen Elgersman Lee is the Mellon Engagement Coordinator for African American Heritage and Director of the Bray School Lab at William & Mary. A history professor for more than two decades, she has held academic and/or administrative positions at universities in Georgia, Maine, and Virginia—and spent five years as executive director of Richmond’s Black History Museum. An award-winning scholar and professor, Maureen has produced numerous books and articles on various aspects of Black history in the United States, Canada, and the British Caribbean.  Her current book project is a new collection on the Williamsburg Bray School (1760-1774) to be co-edited with Nicole Brown and published by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in 2026.

Learn More: https://www.wm.edu/sites/brayschool/people/elgersman-lee-m.php

Working with Our Hands in a Hands-Free World with BBC’s Peter Ginn

I have been a big fan of Peter Ginn ever since I watched the first episode of Victorian Farm, where he portrayed a Victorian-era farmer in England alongside Ruth Goodman and Alex Langlands. Peter has deftly combined his knowledge of the past with entertainment and is a proud ambassador for preserving historic trades and crafts. In short, he’s the ideal PreserveCast guest. 

A Gettysburg Casino? The Story of Advocating for a Place and the Lessons Learned

On this special edition of PreserveCast we're flipping the script! Normally, our host Nicholas Redding asks the questions and our guests tell us the story. On today's episode Nick will be our storyteller, chronicling one of his first preservation advocacy battles and the hard-won lessons learned that can listeners can heed and use to speak out on behalf of places that matter to their communities. 

 

Video links, referenced in Nick's "second lesson" to have fun and use creative strategies.

https://youtu.be/G4n93XD9Bt4

https://youtu.be/338ptCG1SbQ

 

Building Resilient Communities and Saving History with Senator Sarah Elfreth

Saving communities and historic places from an increasingly unstable climate takes real action – and thoughtful, well-crafted policy. Maryland State Senator Sarah Elfreth is a national leader on this issue and has helped to craft a new funding source to help communities battle climate change and save historic places.

I first met Senator Elfreth outside of a Budget and Taxation hearing to discuss an opportunity to save one of Annapolis’ last standing waterman’s cottages that was imminently threatened by rising sea levels. Since then, we’ve collaborated on a variety of efforts and her work has been recognized nationally for climate resiliency. Saving places often means getting involved in crafting policy which is why I knew we had to bring Senator Sarah to PreserveCast.

The Association for Preservation Technology with Greg Galer & Taryn Williams

On this week’s PreserveCast we’re diving deep into the technology of preservation with Greg Galer and Taryn Williams about their roles at The Association for Preservation Technology International (APT). We’re talking about how preservationists keep up with changing technology and how those trends, tools and the science of buildings is helping keep our historic structures standing. And, we’ll discuss how you can get involved and learn more about the science behind preservation. 

ABOUT

Greg Galer, Ph.D., Hon. AIA, HREDFP is the Executive Director of APT. He began this role in early 2022, having previously served as Executive Director of the Boston Preservation Alliance where he impacted over $5 billion of real estate development. His 30-year career spans the breadth of public history including historic preservation, collection management, museum exhibits, documentation of historic sites, and adaptive use projects.

Greg holds a bachelor’s degree from Brown University and a Ph.D. in the History and Social Study of Science and Technology from MIT. His past research includes the evolution of iron truss bridges and American ironworking history.

Taryn Williams is the President of the Association for Preservation Technology International (APT). She has served on the APT Board of Directors since 2016, and co-chaired APT’s Partnerships & Outreach committee from 2017-2021. She is a Senior Project Manager at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger in Washington, DC where her work focuses on investigating and repairing existing and historic buildings. Taryn holds bachelor and master of engineering degrees in civil engineering from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. She is a licensed structural engineer in California and Hawaii; a licensed civil engineer in California, Maryland, Nevada, Virginia, and Washington, DC; and an APT Recognized Professional.

Learn more:

Greg Galer's Previous Episode (Ep. 50)

 

Transit-Oriented Development with David Adler

What is smart growth and why should preservationists care about it? On this week’s PreserveCast we’re talking with David Adler, an asset manager from David S. Brown Enterprises about transit-oriented development, incentives for smart growth, and how historic preservationists can incentivize better growth in their own communities. All that and more, as we push the boundaries of preservation, on this week’s PreserveCast

Head out to an 18th century Farm with Master Farmer Ed Schultz of Colonial Williamsburg

On this week’s PreserveCast, we’re heading back 250 years to the mid-18^th century to talk to Ed Schultz, master farmer of Colonial Williamsburg. We’ve covering a lot of ground in this episode – rich fertile ground – and will take a closer look at what it takes to learn this style of farming and what lessons it holds for the future of sustainable agriculture. We’ll also talk with Ed about his work with ALFHAM – an association for living historians and what that organization does for the field of heritage preservation. All that and more on this week’s PreserveCast.

Black Antietam: African Americans and the Civil War in Sharpsburg with Dr. Emilie Amt

The experiences of hundreds of free and enslaved people of color who witnessed and took part in the Battle of Antietam, one of America’s bloodiest battles, have never been shared in depth until now. Join us on this week’s PreserveCast as we talk with author Dr. Emilie Amt about her book Black Antietam: African Americans and the Civil War. Emilie will give us a glimpse into her book and the African American perspectives in Sharpsburg before, during, and after the Battle of Antietam and the Civil War.

Dr. Emilie Amt is an award-winning writer on the African American history of western Maryland. A Maryland native, Emilie is an emeritus professor of history at Hood College in Frederick. She spent much of her career as a medieval historian, but since 2010, her research has focused on slavery in Washington County, where she lives. Her most recent book, published by The History Press, is Black Antietam: African Americans and the Civil War in Sharpsburg (available for purchase here). She is on the board of the Friends of Tolson’s Chapel, a National Historic Landmark in Sharpsburg, and is a founding director of the Friends of Halfway African American Cemetery, in Hagerstown.  

Learn more: https://emilieamt.com/

Purchase Book: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781467150729

Using History and Heritage to Engage Minorities in Aquaculture

On this week’s PreserveCast, we’re heading to the brackish waters of the Chesapeake Bay to revisit an episode with Imani Black, founder of Minorities in Aquaculture, a dynamic new organization that is using heritage and history and a host of other innovative tools to develop opportunities for minorities to engage in this growing and sustainable industry.

Like many guests, I read about Imani in an article and knew we had to get her on PreserveCast – especially because of her background, heritage and focus on using history to get minorities interested and engaged in careers in aquaculture. We’re talking sustainability, environmentalism, history and the bay on this week’s PreserveCast.

Olmsted’s Elmwood with Clinton E. Brown, FAIA

Once one of the top 10 cities in the United States, Buffalo’s historic Elmwood district could once again be a model for America’s cities. On this week’s PreserveCast, join us as we talk with Clinton Brown, a heritage and project architect, about his book Olmsted’s Elmwood: The Rise, Decline and Renewal of Buffalo’s Parkway Neighborhood, A Model for America’s Cities. Brown takes us through this Buffalo, NY neighborhood's rich history, devastating decline, and ongoing renewal.

Historic preservation architect Clinton Brown, FAIA, is a graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, the Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies, and the University of Virginia School of Architecture. He has taught at the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts and is a frequent speaker about historic preservation and Main Street revitalization. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.

He founded Clinton Brown Company Architecture, pc, a leading full service historic preservation, architecture, and grant services firm, which is driven to renew historic buildings and heritage place to be better for everyone. CBCA nominated the Elmwood Historic District for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, one of the country’s largest historic districts. This is the genesis of his book, Olmsted’s Elmwood: The Rise, Decline and Renewal of Buffalo’s Parkway Neighborhood, A Model for America’s Cities, published by City of Light Publishing in 2022.

The New York Governor appointed him to the Board that is overseeing the rehabilitation of the National Historic Landmark Richardson Olmsted Campus, the former Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane. Successive Secretaries of the Interior have appointed him a Commissioner of the state-wide Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission, an affiliate of the National Park Service. He is a Board Member of the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts in Queenston, Ontario, of which HRH Prince Charles has been Patron.

Purchase the Book: https://cityoflightpublishing.com/product/olmsteds-elmwood-the-rise-decline-and-renewal-of-buffalos-parkway-neighborhood-a-model-for-americas-cities/

Wallpaper Through the Ages with Katherine Porter

Join us on this week’s PreserveCast as we talk with Katherine Porter, a design director at Waterhouse Wallhangings. Waterhouse’s collections contain new and old wallpaper designs, including some authentic reproductions, first used in the early days of the US. Join us as we explore how wallpaper has changed since it was first brought to the US, peeking into Waterhouse’s archives, and the differences between historic and modern wallpaper.

 Originally from Amityville, New York, Katherine Porter attended Syracuse University and graduated with a BFA in surface pattern design. Fresh out of college she landed a job in New York City working for a lively and very productive textile design studio. Surrounded by talented and interesting people, young and old, from all over the world, she really learned the ropes. Now located in rural northeast Ohio she continues to work in the fabric and wallpaper field from her home studio. Katherine’s fabric designs appear in the following collections: Isaac Mizrahi for S. Harris, Jaclyn Smith Home, Charlotte Moss for S. Harris, Mount Vernon Home for Fabricut, Vervain, Valdese Weavers, and Longaberger Company.

Since 2017 Katherine has been partnered with Lance Houpt in the Thomas Strahan Collection of wallpapers. Thomas Strahan, a sister company to Waterhouse Wallhangings, is one of the oldest wallpaper companies in the United States. Currently located in New York, the designs are drawn from an extensive archive (over 12,000 patterns) and printed on the premises. Waterhouse and Thomas Strahan offer a high-end showroom line of wallpapers and fabric as well as specializing in reproductions for historic house museums.

Both Katherine and Lance share a love for the beauty and history of these timeless designs. We are proud to carry on this unique legacy of pattern design.

Learn more: https://www.waterhousewallhangings.com/

 

 

Stick & Poke Tattooing with Owen McGarry

Want to know how sailors used to get their tattoos centuries ago? On this week’s PreserveCast, we will be talking with Owen McGarry a New England tattoo artist who specializes in hand poked tattoos. The stick and poke tattoo method has been performed for thousands of years from sailors to indigenous Americans and Europeans. Owen will walk us through this slow tattooing process and where he gets his inspiration from.

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Owen Payette McGarry is a traditional hand poke tattoo artist based in Boston, Massachusetts.  He came to tattooing in 2014 through his interest in maritime folk art, while working as a boat builder. His work attempts to recreate what tattooing in New England may have looked like in centuries past. Owen’s tattoos are entirely hand poked, the same technique practiced for thousands of years by both Indigenous Americans and Europeans. Though the process is slower than the tattoo machine, hand poking better recreates the experience and the style of historic tattooing. As tattooing leaves little physical evidence after the wearer is deceased, Owen references other surviving examples of maritime folk art from around the North Atlantic; scrimshaw, graffiti, woodblock prints, needlework, painted ship’s chests &c. to create contemporary work informed by our past.

 

Learn More: http://themassachusite.com/index.html

The Search for the “Lost” Heritage Apples with Tom Brown

One a day keeps the doctor away. Join us on this week’s PreserveCast, as we talk with Tom Brown who is on the search for “Lost” heritage apple varieties. Listen in as Tom shares his decades-long journey to rediscover heritage apples and what it takes to preserve these “Lost” breeds.

The Goodall Fellowship: Sea Level Rise Monitoring with Benjamin Curran

One of preservation’s biggest challenges is climate change. On this week’s PreserveCast, we are talking with Benjamin Curran, a 2021 recipient of the Harrison Goodall Fellowship. Curran’s project intended to explore the viability of constructing low-cost open-source sensors for the purpose of increasing the breadth of communities engaged in self-monitoring their susceptibility to sea level rise. Join us in talking with Curran on how his project unfolded and what lessons it holds for preservationists across the nation.

 

Benjamin works as the Historic Trades Curriculum Developer at Preservation Maryland, where he designs and develops multimedia educational content available online. Curran is the former Department Head of STC’s Historic Preservation and Restoration Program and the Director of STC’s Center for Traditional Craft. He was the lead faculty instructor for Historic Preservation at Edgecombe Community College in Taraboro, NC. While working in the remote sensing lab at the University of New Hampshire Earth System Research Center in Durham, N.H., he was a co-investigator for research funded by a National Geographic Society/Waitt Foundation grant investigating the impacts of sea level rise on saltwater intrusion for coastal heritage sites. Benjamin received his bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of New Hampshire and his graduate degree from Plymouth State University where he studied Historic Preservation and Education.

 

Learn More:

Interview with Harrison Goodall: https://www.preservecast.org/2020/05/11/building-a-legacy-in-the-preservation-trades-with-dr-harrison-goodall/

2021 Fellows Selected: https://www.preservationmaryland.org/2021-harrison-goodall-fellows-selected/

2022 Fellows Selected: https://www.preservationmaryland.org/2022-harrison-goodall-preservation-fellow-selected/

The Landscapes of Frederick Douglass with Jeffrey McGuiness

On this week’s PreserveCast, we’ll head back to the 19^th century to explore the landscapes and sites associated with Frederick Douglass and talk with Jeffrey McGuiness about his photographic journey to document these sites for his new book published by The St. Michael’s Museum, Bear Me Into Freedom: The Talbot County of Frederick Douglass.

Jeff McGuiness is a photographer and writer fascinated by history, politics, art, and photography. He lives in St. Michaels on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. For the past five years, he has worked on a photographic essay of the place where Frederick Douglass was born and lived for eleven years enslaved—Talbot County, Maryland. His photobook, published in November of 2022 by the St. Michaels Museum Press, is entitled Bear Me Into Freedom: The Talbot County of Frederick Douglass.

McGuiness was born in California and grew up in suburban Washington, D.C. After graduating from college with an art degree in 1969, he spent the next four years in the U.S. Air Force as a photographer during the Vietnam conflict. He then worked for a commercial photographer in St. Louis for a time before deciding to pursue a law degree. McGuiness was a practicing attorney in Washington, DC, for more than four decades, concentrating on public policy and managing non-profit organizations.

These days, McGuiness does what he enjoys most. An avid boater, he explores his beloved Chesapeake Bay in his powerboat while using his varied experiences to pursue photography and writing projects through his company, Bay Photographic Works.

Learn more: https://www.bearmeintofreedom.com/

Book: https://www.bearmeintofreedom.com/

 

 

Preserving Cultural Heritage Amid Climate Change with Charles Henry

On this week’s PreserveCast we are talking with Charles Henry the President of the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), a non-profit organization that works with libraries, cultural institutions, and higher learning communities to improve research, teaching, and learning environments through the digitization and preservation of cultural heritage. Charles will be sharing the threat that climate change poses on cultural heritage.

Charles is the president of the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR), a non-profit organization that works with libraries, cultural institutions, and higher learning communities to improve research, teaching, and learning environments through the digitization and preservation of cultural heritage.

He believes preserving cultural heritage connects us with humanity’s collective experience and knowledge, and gives us a sense of identity. However, cultural memory loss can easily occur through destruction (e.g. the early Library of Alexandria), neglect, lack of awareness, war and displacement - even climate change poses a significant threat. 

To address this, CLIR has been working for decades on the preservation and access to cultural heritage. Projects include the Digital Library of the Middle East, one of the world’s largest online archives of Middle Eastern and North African artifacts; the HBCU Library Alliance Partnership, which fosters awareness of and access to collections held by Historically Black Colleges and Universities; and Digitizing Hidden Collections, a $4 million annual grant program that aims to bring highly significant cultural content to light.  

Return of the Distillery with Aaron Hollis

Roll your oak barrels over – we’re making whiskey! On this week’s PreserveCast, join us in talking with Aaron Hollis, the Co-Executive Director of West Overton Village Museum in Scottdale, PA. Aaron will be sharing about re-establishing the whiskey distillery on the property after almost 100 years. The distillery is operational and is used to educate visitors about how whiskey was made over 100 years ago.

Aaron Hollis Jr. was born and raised in Scottdale, PA just a few miles from West Overton. He has a B.A. in Archaeology from the University of Pittsburgh and an M.A. in Public History from West Virginia University. He started volunteering at West Overton 10 years ago and today is Co-Executive Director. Outside of the museum, he enjoys hiking with his wife, playing with his two dogs, and tinkering with his 1956 pickup truck. 

Learn more: https://www.westovertonvillage.org/

The Goodall Fellowship: Circular Heritage Project with Stephanie Phillips

Reuse for Our Future! And join us on this week’s PreserveCast as we talk with Stephanie Phillips a recipient of the 2021 Goodall Fellowship. Stephanie will be sharing about the Circular Heritage Project, of which the fellowship supported the launch. The Circular Heritage Project, which seeks to strengthen the alignment between the heritage conservation field and the growing circular economy movement in North America.

Stephanie Phillips, AICP, is a San Antonio-based senior public policy & planning professional working at the intersection of heritage conservation and the circular economy. She leads the City of San Antonio's Deconstruction and Circular Economy Program, which aims to maximize material salvage and reuse opportunities from older structures while advancing the City’s climate action, affordable housing, and workforce development goals - all through a heritage conservation lens.

 

Forensic Modelling at Gettysburg with Christopher Oakley

On this week’s PreserveCast, we are talking with Christopher Oakley from UNC Asheville about his research behind solving the number 1 question guests at the Gettysburg National Cemetery ask. “Where did Lincoln stand [during the Gettysburg Address]?” Join us while Oakley takes us through the intense analysis of 19^thcentury photographs with today’s technology & 3D modelling software.

Christopher Oakley is an associate professor of New Media and teaches courses in animation and the history of animation at the University of North Carolina in Asheville.

Christopher is also an animator and director with over 25 years of experience in the film, television, commercial and game industries. After several years working as a stop motion animator and director on commercials and CBS' Pee-wee's Playhouse, Christopher was recruited by Walt Disney Feature Animation to work on their pioneering computer-generated film Dinosaur and other projects. After moving to Asheville, NC, Christopher animated "Into the Groove" for Madonna's Sticky and Sweet world tour.

Christopher has a life-long passion for history and has spent much of that time researching Abraham Lincoln. In 2013, Christopher launched an undergraduate research endeavor titled "The Virtual Lincoln Project." Together with his students, Christopher created a photo-real, digital Abraham Lincoln and brought him to life delivering the Gettysburg Address. The discovery was featured in Smithsonian Magazine ("Will the Real Abraham Lincoln Please Stand Up") and went viral worldwide. In addition, Christopher's blending of 19th Century analog materials with 21st Century digital technology has helped him pinpoint the size, shape, and location of the speaker's stand from which Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address. Christopher's reveal of that location at a recent gathering of The Lincoln Forum in Gettysburg was featured on the front-page of the New York Times.

Christopher received his BFA in Theatre from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin and his MFA in Film from Columbia University in New York City.

Learn more: www.christopheroakley.com  

 

 

The Real Father Christmas: Preserving Charles Dickens Legacy with Dr. Cindy Sughrue

There is perhaps no author or person who has made more of an impact on the modern notion of Christmas than Charles Dickens. The famed author is now almost synonymous with Christmas – and his legendary work, A Christmas Carol, has sold millions of copies and has been turned into no fewer than 135 different movies. With this legendary success, how best to tell his story? That’s the subject of today’s PreserveCast – a deep dive into the legacy and story of Dickens with Dr. Cindy Sughrue, the Director of the Charles Dickens Museum.

Living in the past, present and future is the work of preservation – and today’s guest is working to keep the legacy of Charles Dickens, arguably the father of our modern Christmas, alive at his home in London, England.

At this festive time of the year, we’re talking with Dr. Cindy Sughrue, the Director of the Charles Dickens Museum.

“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me.” – Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Live from the Field: Talking Trades with Christman Company (& three skilled tradespeople)

We're excited to bring you today's PreserveCast live from the field! We're in Annapolis, Maryland on the grounds of the historic State House, where we're sitting down with Drew Brown of the Christman Company to discuss the organization's work on the overhaul of the State House's c. 1788 dome. Then we'll shift the conversation to talk with three of the project's tradespeople, skilled in window restoration, painting, and slate and shingle work. 

After all - without the trained hands to do the work, preservation is just good intentions. Come along with us as we discuss this unique project and explore careers in the historic trades.

PreserveCast is brought to you by Preservation Maryland, which also runs the national workforce development program The Campaign for Historic Trades in partnership with NPS' Historic Preservation Training Center. To learn more about The Campaign's work to expand and strengthen careers in the field of historic trades, visit www.historictrades.org

 

The Historic Trades Labor Study with Donovan Rypkema from PlaceEconomics

The first comprehensive research study on the status of heritage trades in the US has now been published! On this week’s PreserveCast, we are talking with Donovan Rypkema from PlaceEconomics about the Historic Trades Labor Study published by The Campaign for Historic Trades (Powered by Preservation Maryland). Rypkema will take us through the research and how he and his team conducted the study, some surprising key findings about Historic Trades in the United States, and about the industry’s expected growth in the next decade.

To access the full study and other assets, visit www.historictrades.org/laborstudy

Donovan D. Rypkema is principal of PlaceEconomics, a Washington, D.C.-based real estate and economic development-consulting firm. The work of the firm is at the nexus of historic preservation and economics. He has undertaken assignments for public and non-profit sector clients in 49 US states. He also teaches a course on the economics of historic preservation at the University of Pennsylvania where he received the 2008 G. Holmes Perkins Award for Distinguished Teaching.

Rypkema was educated at Columbia University receiving a Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation. He is author of several publications including Community Initiated Development, The Economics of Rehabilitation, and the Feasibility Assessment Manual for Reusing Historic Buildings. Rypkema’s book, The Economics of Historic Preservation: A Community Leader’s Guide is widely used by preservationists nationwide and has been translated into Russian, Georgian, and Korean.

Rypkema has worked with such groups as the Urban Land Institute, the Mayors’ Institute on City Design, the American Planning Association, Smart Growth America, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the International Downtown Association. Federal Government clients have included the U.S. Army, the Department of State, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Interior, and the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation for whom he prepared a report entitled Measuring Economic Impacts of Historic Preservation.

 

 

[Thanksgiving Episode] This Land is Their Land by Dr. David J. Silverman

For most of us – Thanksgiving is a time of reflection, communion and appreciation – shared around a table groaning under the weight of rich foods with family and friends. Central to the holiday is a story dating back to the 1620s – when our European forbearers gathered with native peoples and peacefully celebrated a harvest. Or, at least, that’s what legend, myth and selective memory would lead us to believe.

Today’s guest, Dr. David J. Silverman, has authored a powerful new history of Thanksgiving which explores the story from all angles – and makes the case that the way we remember and consider Thanksgiving requires thoughtful reconsideration as we endeavor to tell the full story of American history.

On this week’s PreserveCast, we’re exploring the untold story of Thanksgiving with an authority on the subject.

Hey, Nick here – and as we approach Thanksgiving – I want to say thank you to all of our listeners – you have made this podcast a huge success and have grown us to become one of the most listened to history and preservation podcasts in the nation – no small feat for a podcast produced on a shoestring. Speaking of that shoestring, and thanks, would you consider making a quick donation today to help us bring more content like this to you in the year ahead? Every bit helps and we greatly appreciate whatever you can provide! Now, let’s head back to the 1620s to get the full story of Thanksgiving.

Hessians: German Soldiers in the American Revolutionary War with Friederike Baer

Join us in exploring a new narrative of the American Revolutionary War from the eyes of hired German Soldiers, known as Hessians. On this week’s PreserveCast, we are talking with Friederike Baer about her book Hessians: German Soldiers in the American Revolutionary War. We’ll explore the untold stories of the Hessians and the profound impact they had in the American Revolution.

Friederike Baer is Associate Professor of History and Division Head for Arts and Humanities at Pennsylvania State University, Abington College. Originally from Germany, Baer holds a Ph.D. in early American history from Brown University. Her research, which has been supported by organizations such as the American Philosophical Society, University of Michigan Clements Library, German Historical Institute in Washington, D.C., and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), focuses primarily on the experiences of German-speaking people in North America in the periods of the War for American Independence and Early Republic. Among her publications are the books The Trial of Frederick Eberle: Language, Patriotism and Citizenship in Philadelphia’s German Community, 1790-1830 (New York UP, 2008) and Hessians: German Soldiers in the American Revolutionary War (Oxford UP, 2022).

Learn more: https://friederikebaer.com/

Book: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/hessians-9780190249632?lang=en&cc=us

 

 

Stop the Road: A Conversation with E. Evans Paull

Hold onto your steering wheel as we’re about to hit the road on this week’s PreserveCast as we talk with Evans Paull about Baltimore’s Stop the Road movement, the historic waterfront communities saved, and the Highway to Nowhere. Detailed in his recently released book, Stop the Road: Stories from The Trenches of Baltimore’s Road Wars, Paull will give us a glimpse into the up-close-and-personal account of Baltimore’s 40-year battle over highway plans.

 E. Evans Paull spent 45 years as a city planner working in Baltimore and nationally on urban redevelopment issues. He began his career in the Baltimore City Department of Planning as a generalist planner before specializing in the redevelopment of brownfields. 

After starting and managing Baltimore’s Brownfields Initiative, he tackled these same issues at a national level, working first for Northeast-Midwest Institute before becoming director of the National Brownfields Coalition and finally running his consulting business, Redevelopment Economics. Although now retired, many of his published articles and papers still appear on the Redevelopment Economics website.

Paull has won several awards, including: Brownfields Leadership Award, Phoenix Award (for brownfields redevelopment), Governor’s Smart Growth Award and Professional Achievement in Economic Development Award from the Maryland Chapter American Planning Association.