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A Presentation on the History of Historic Preservation and its Influence on the Village of Oak Park
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Introduction
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At the direction of the Village President and Board of Trustees, staff prepared a presentation on the history of Historic Preservation. This presentation discusses a time when the United States was desiring more national identity through the present protections of the historic fabric of municipalities and regions.
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Recommended Action
This item is for discussion purposes only.
Prior Board Action
There is no prior Board action associated with this item.
Background
The Village Board of Trustees requested a presentation as part of its goals to better understand the workings and impact of Historic Preservation. The Historic Preservation Commission's Strategic Plan calls for the development and delivery of a training program for Village Board members and various Village Commissions to provide information on HPC programs and services. Village staff coordinated this presentation with the support of the following experts; David Sokol, Historian (former Village Trustee, HPC Chair, and Plan Commission member); Frank Lipo Executive Director of the Oak Park River Forest History Museum (Former HPC Chair); Kendra Parzen, Advocacy Manager at Landmarks Illinois; Asha Andriano, HPC Chairperson; and Brenton Boitse, Urban Planner - Historic Preservation and staff liaison to the Historic Preservation Commission.
In the mid-19th Century, there was a need for national identity. These were seen through sites like Washington's Headquarters (1850) and Mount Vernon (1853). In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Colonial Revival movement sparked interest in restoring historic homes. The Antiquities Act of 1906 introduced federal protection for archaeological sites. During the mid-20th Century at a period following WWII, the destruction of landmarks spurred preservation action, resulting in the development of th...
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