Railroads, America, and the Formative Period of Historical Archaeology: A Documentary and Photographic Investigation into the Historic Preservation Movement

Summary

The twentieth century, the formative period of historical archaeology, is marked by an ideological shift from the fervent consumerism and industrialism of the nineteenth century, towards a growing institutional concern for the nation’s finite natural and historical resources. A focused case study of twentieth century railroad stations highlights various themes pertinent to the discussion of the role of historical archaeology in the Historic Preservation Movement, which focuses on preservation and interpretation of resources. Each railroad station provides a unique view into the past and present local, state, and federal legislation and ideologies that directed the station’s construction, destruction or renovation, and adaptive reuse or preservation. This study of mostly extant railroad stations further provides an opportunity for dialogue between federal/state agencies, local communities, and historic practitioners, which facilitates the formation of legislation and ideologies that will shape the next 50 years of historic interpretation and preservation in the United States.  

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions) 2016   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2016

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 468