St. Augustine’s Most Threatened Historic Places: 2004
Threatened Structures Threatened Features La Punta Community The
City’s Civil Rights Threatened Districts |
As part of National Historic Preservation Week May 3-8, 2004, the Citizens for the Preservation of St. Augustine (CPSA) announces its listing of St. Augustine’s Most Threatened Historic Places. This is the first such list ever prepared in St. Augustine. It emerged from a recognition that too many landmarks of great importance have been lost in recent years. The purpose of CPSA’s program is to focus attention on the most endangered historic and irreplaceable parts of St. Augustine’s history. We hope to provide a catalyst for raising awareness, seeking out resources by drawing public attention, sparking debate about cultural and architectural heritage preservation, and inviting new perspectives to historic sites in desperate need of creative solutions. The City of St. Augustine has a wealth of history in both diversity and age as evidenced in its splendid architecture. A Victorian Era structure may stand near a 1920s Land Boom bridge, which in turn may stand next to a Flagler Era structure, standing next to a post Civil War Period monument, standing on a Spanish Colonial town plan and so on. Many precious historic sites, structures and neighborhoods that tell the story of who we are in danger of being lost forever. Without swift and positive action these structures will fall as a result of neglect, insufficient funds, inappropriate or incompatible development, lack of recognition or insensitive public policy. In January CPSA issued a call for nominations from the public resulting in its receipt of nineteen submissions from preservation organizations and private citizens for places located within the city limits. A process that closely mirrored a model created by the National Trust for Historic Preservation was followed. A selection committee of local and state preservation minded professionals was appointed by CPSA. It met and ranked each nomination according to established criteria. Each nomination was thoroughly discussed and given equal consideration by this expert panel in areas of architecture, history, archeology, museum administration and historic preservation. Diversity of property types, historical and cultural significance, imminence of threat and do-ability were all factors in the selection of the finalists. While a listing does not protect the sites or guarantee funding, hopes are high that solutions will be found and these treasures can be preserved for generations to come. Click on the links at left to view each of the Threatened Places. |
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