Historic preservation in the US: From landmarks to planning perspectives

Historic preservation and the conflicts to which it gives rise in the US have changed dramatically during this century. In the early days, the emphasis was on landmarks of historical and cultural value. This merged with issues of aesthetics and architectural quality. There was, however, little government intervention until the mid‐1960s when public concern was aroused by the destructive effects on the urban fabric of interstate highways and urban renewal. A veritable orgy of legislation followed, the major provisions of which are outlined in this paper, together with the role of the states and localities. A number of specific matters are also discussed, such as tourism and taxation, and the paper ends with a brief account of the ways in which historic preservation is widening in scope.