Expanding Preservation of the 1950-1970s

Liz Almlie, Historic Preservation Specialist, South Dakota State Historical Society One of the newer challenges of historic preservation is the preservation of resources from the mid-20th century.  One of the eligibility considerations for the National Register of Historic Places is the age of the resource.  Sites newer than fifty years need to meet special considerations …

The Built Landscape of Suffrage History

Liz Almlie, Historic Preservation Specialist, SD State Historical Society South Dakota and the United States have recently marked big centennials of women’s suffrage.  A state constitutional amendment passed in November 1918 and the final ratification of the federal 19th Amendment took place in August 1920.  I was lucky enough to participate in several public history …

South Dakota’s Earliest Listings in the National Register of Historic Places

Liz Almlie, Historic Preservation Specialist, SD State Historical Society Federal historic preservation work has had a 100+ year evolution with key pieces of legislation being the Antiquities Act in 1906 that created National Monuments, and the Historic Sites Act of 1935 that formalized the Historic American Buildings Survey and created National Historic Landmarks.  The legislation …

Tarnished Idols

Many people, maybe even most people, think Frank Lloyd Wright is the greatest American architect.  Certainly, he was recognized in 1991 by the American Institute of Architects as “the greatest American architect of all time.” He is the best known and people come from all over the world to see his work.  Just two years ago, eight of his buildings were …

Grassroots 2021 Recap: Bring it Home, Part 1/2

Cover image by AIA National Architect, Advocate, Activist. Three words AIA members are called to be. Last week, I had the honor of attending the annual Grassroots convention hosted virtually by AIA National’s 2021 President Elect, Dan Hart, FAIA. With the theme of “Bring it Home,” this four day leadership event focused on skillsets we …

Hard Times

The rural design community and CIRD look ahead by looking back. Cover Photo: Sahar Coston-HardyBlack-owned Graham’s Ribs in Springfield, Missouri, open from 1932 to 1996, was an establishment listed in the Negro Motorist Green Book Originally published in Rural Voices – Cultivating Citizen-led Design Volume 24, No. 2, Fall 2020 by the Housing Assistance Council. By Stephen …