Honoring the Past, Building a Future
1800 Asbury Ave - Evanston, IL. Before I ever knew the word “preservation,”I knew how it felt to love a house.To love a neighborhood.To love a way of life shaped by streets, seasons, and sidewalks. I grew up in Evanston, Illinois, where winter blanketed the world in white silence.I’d sit on the radiator cover in … Continue reading The Memories That Led to Stepheny, the Preservationist
Two small moments—one in a movie theater, one on a London street, remind me that what we preserve aren't just buildings, but stories that happened in just the right place, at just the right time, and they become a kind of personal landmark. I’ve always loved the movie 84 Charing Cross Road, the quiet affection … Continue reading Why Main Street Memories Deserve a Place in Preservation
Late Saturday afternoon and I'm mentally getting ready for Duke game - Final Four tonight. I imagine the flow of the possessions, the smooth passes and work under the basket. I see the 3 point baskets reigning down from points on the floor that make your heart beat faster. My memories include the years of … Continue reading Surprise – Last Thing On My Mind This Saturday Is Main Street
I read another book! And as always, it got me thinking. This time, it was about how America has a long history of calling on experts outside of politics to help solve big problems. Yet today, when Elon Musk is asked to lend his expertise, the response is pure politics. If one president asks him … Continue reading Elon Musk and the American Tradition of Calling on Experts
On Saturday night, clocks “spring forward” one hour. I discovered that the garden has been preparing for the light that will return on Sunday morning. While I have been hurrying into the car on our winter days, I have basically ignored the garden. At last I had eyes to see that early spring has emerged. … Continue reading Don’t Forget to Set Your Clocks—Spring Blooms and Longer Days Await!
If you are a garden writer the challenge becomes, how many ways can you describe the color green? If you are writing the blog, Mainstreetrockymount.com, how many ways can I feature Rocky Mount’s Main Street commercial historic facades that will make the reader focus on the powerful connection between the preservation of these buildings and … Continue reading The Role of Main Street Facades in Rocky Mount’s Future
Main Street Rocky Mount 