On May 10, the National Trust for Historic Preservation celebrated the 30th anniversary of its America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list. Over the past three decades, the National Trust has named nearly 300 significant historic sites at risk of destruction. This list has played an important role in raising awareness of America's architectural and cultural heritage and the threats that it is facing. The list also has inspired local communities to take action and has helped in allocating resources to save the threatened sites. "Of the sites that appeared on the list since 1988, fewer than five percent have been lost," said the National Trust in its press release.
This year's list highlights a diverse selection of 11 once-endangered historic sites that have been successfully preserved thanks to dedication of those who worked hard to bring these treasures back to life. It also elaborates further on each preservation effort and on those who saved the sites.
Angel Island Immigration Station
Located in San Francisco, the Angel Island Immigration Station—also called the Ellis Island of the West—was the primary entry point for those entering the United States from 80 countries across the Pacific Rim for nearly 30 years, between 1910 and 1940. After World War II, the station was abandoned and later scheduled to be torn down. Then a park ranger named Alexander Weiss discovered carved Chinese poetry in the walls and floors, and this saved the station from demolition. In 1999, the National Trust added Angel Island Immigration Station to the list. Since then, together with the White House Millennium Council, the Trust has been recovering and preserving more than 200 poems carved by immigrants. In 2000, the interest generated by previous preservation efforts led California citizens to vote for allocating funds for its restoration. Today, the site serves as a remembrance of the challenges that immigrants faced during the station's operation years.
Antietam National Battlefield Park
One of the America's best-preserved Civil War battlefields, Antietam National Battlefield Park in Sharpsburg, Md., was once under threat from proposed development. Considering the history of the Battle of Antietam—the bloodiest day in American History which played a role in halting the Confederate advance through Maryland and pressing President Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation—the National Trust listed Antietam to its first list of America's Most Endangered Historic Places in 1988. The designation played a significant role in allocating funds and support to preserve the battlefield and is one of our most successful preservation stories.
Cathedral of St. Vibiana
One of Los Angeles' few remaining 19th-century landmarks, the Cathedral of St. Vibinia—the city's first Archdiocese Catholic Cathedral—opened its doors in 1876 after five years of construction. Inspired by Italian Baroque, the façade was modeled by W.J. Matthews and Ezra F. Kysor. In 1922, the church was expanded and a new façade of Indiana limestone was added, according to St. Vibiana's website. In 1963, the cathedral was listed as a Los Angeles Cultural Monument, but then the 1994 Northridge earthquake damaged the structure. A year later, after nearly 120 years of service, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles decided to demolish the cathedral because of the damage. Thanks to a successful fight to save the building, the National Trust listed the building in 1997. Two years after that, the preservation efforts started and the then-Cathedral of St. Vibiana was transformed into VIBIANA—a full service event facility.
Governors Island National Monument
Located at the confluence of Hudson and East rivers in New York Harbor, Governors Island has a long and significant history, from playing a crucial role in the Revolutionary War to "serving as a major United States Coast Guard installation during the mid-20th century," according to the National Trust's website. According to the Trust, "Governors Island was once the nation's oldest continuously used military post" until 1995, when the Coast Guard closed its facilities and relocated its of all personnel by the next year. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission then designated the 92 acres north of Division Road—previously listed as a National Historic District in 1985—as a Local Historic District. In 1998, the National Trust listed the island on its America's Most Endangered Historic Places list. Then, 2001 marked another significant milestone in the island's history. President Bill Clinton designated 22 acres of the island as the Governors Island National Monument. "In 2003, the island was sold and transferred to two parties: 22 acres, designated as the Governors Island National Monument and administered by the National Park Service; and 150 acres is administrated by The Trust for Governors Island," according to the National Park Service website. The Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation was formed the same year and, according to a timeline on the Governors Island website, the first guided tours of the island were given in 2003. In 2006, the island was first opened to the public and approximately 8,000 visitors traveled to the island. "Today the northern half of the landmark is open for public use," according to the National Trust.
Historic Boston Theaters
According to the National Trust, when the area surrounding the Boston Theater District fell into economic distress, the district's well-known theaters—the Paramount Theater, the Modern Theater, and the Boston Opera House which were the city's once thriving epicenter of its nightlife and social scene—fell into disrepair. Following the National Trust's listing of the three theaters in 1995, the city, nonprofits, developers, and other groups joined hands to rehabilitate and reopen them. These actions became the catalyst for revitalization activities for the surrounding neighborhood. In 2011, the National Trust awarded the Preservation Honor Award to the theaters.
Little Rock Central High School
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the 1957 Little Rock Crisis at Central High School—once the largest high school in the U.S.—In 1957, nine African-American students, known as the "Little Rock Nine," were registered in the previously segregated Central High School after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that segregation is unconstitutional. The kids' registration created a huge wave of outrage, and the students were initially turned away by the Arkansas National Guard on the order of Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus. A federal order forced the governor to pull back the Arkansas Guard, and local police then protected the students from the mob. Those police officers were then replaced by federal troops and National Guardsmen on the orders of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. According to the National Park Service, Eisenhower "became the first president since the post-Civil War Reconstruction period to use federal troops in support of African-American civil rights." When the National Trust put the Little Rock Central High School on its list in 1996, the school was in a deteriorated state and needed $6.5 million to cover the extensive repairs. In 1998, the Congress established the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site and the National Trust, together with its associated partners, ensured necessary renovations for the high school.
Nine Mile Canyon
Located in Utah, Nine Mile Canyon, also known as the world's largest art gallery, is an outdoor museum depicting thousands of ancient Native American petroglyphs, pictographs, rock shelters, and granaries. Before its listing in 2004, Nine Mile Canyon was under severe threats from daily traffic on the unpaved surfaces nearby, which was damaging the ancient pictographs and petroglyphs. After its listing, the National Trust and the Nine Mile Canyon Coalition raised awareness about the heritage of the site, which led to paving the road and increasing access to the site, both of which alleviated the threat.
Penn School
Known today as Penn Center, the former Penn School—one of the nation's first schools for freed slaves—was founded in 1862. The school was in operation until after World War II, after many of its students were enlisted to serve and then moved away. The school fell into disrepair and was listed by the Trust in 1990. Since then, the publicity brought funds for repair and restoration and several campus buildings have been restored. The Penn Center now operates as a museum and special event center. According to the Trust, it "has become a leader in cultural preservation that President Obama recognized in 2017 as part of the Reconstruction Era National Monument."
President Lincoln's Cottage at the Soldiers' Home
Seventeen years after its listing, President Lincoln's Cottage has been transformed into one of "the most visited, revered and vibrant" historic sites in Washington, D.C., according to the National Trust. Before its listing, the cottage had fallen into severe disrepair, needing a $15 million restoration project led by the Trust. The cottage then reopened its doors to the public in 2008. Designated as both a National Historic Landmark and a National Monument, today, President Lincoln's Cottage serves as a museum.
The Statler Hilton Hotel
Though the Statler Hilton Hotel was an icon of Modernism and pioneered innovative luxuries like elevator music, roof-top swimming pools, and TVs in every hotel room, it sat vacant for years, fell into disrepair, and faced demolition threats until 2008 when the National Trust put it on its list. The Statler Hilton is now set to reopen as the Statler Hotel & Residence after a $225 million redevelopment project.
Travelers' Rest
Travelers' Rest is the only archaeologically verified campsite for the Lewis and Clark Expedition along the Lewis and Clark Trail, according to the National Trust and the Montana State National Parks website. Despite the site's historic significance, development threatened the integrity of the Travelers' Rest, and the National Trust listed the site in 1999. The listing brought a national spotlight, raised awareness of its significance, and inspired further action. In 2001, it was designated as a state park.
