University of Vermont
Historic Preservation Program
Historic Preservation Advocacy Project, Fall 1997
Americans
have increasingly recognized the importance of our built environment.
While preservationists have made great strides in protecting public
buildings, commercial structures, landmarks and private residences,
other resources have been undervalued and denied the same treatment.
Icons from the recent past, including diners, gas stations, drive
in theaters and shopping malls, are generally not included under
the umbrella of structures that preservationists are concerned
about.
We're
six students (Aimee Finley, Todd Hannahs, David Payne, Barb Shubinski,
Katie Wollan and Paul Wyncoop) in the Historic Preservation Program
at the University of Vermont. We came to school here because we're
interested in how our built environment impacts the landscape.
Everyone can agree that certain buildings, such as the State House
and the Calvin Coolidge Homestead, are historic and should be
preserved, but what about the structures that reflect more of
everyday life?
As a general rule in historic
preservation, a building is historic once it becomes 50 years
old. But, since not everything that is historic is worth saving,
how do you distinguish between the two? Buildings are deemed significant
by their appearance and what they mean to us. Doesn't this include
a lot of places, like diners, that aren't typically preserved?
We think so.
So, to get our point across, we got into the "Preserve Mobile", a 1966 Chevy Impala, and traveled across Vermont to look at diners. We wanted to find out what they meant to the people who actually go there. Many of the diners had lines out the door of people waiting to eat there. This said to us that people really do love these places, so maybe people arenít aware that theyíre historic and important to save. Our project is designed to raise awareness of diners and demonstrate that they are historic and should be preserved.
The project consists of two parts:
1) Where the Reuben Hits the Road
A 15 minute video detailing our trip across Vermont that discusses the importance of diners. The video shows diners in several contexts, including their architectural importance, their value to the community, their relation to the National Register of Historic Places and why people love to go to them. In it, we talk to several owners, employees and customers and find out how they feel about their diner and historic preservation. Copies of the video are available in the library of all public high schools in Vermont and at RETN in South Burlington.
2) Curriculum Guide
The curriculum guide is designed
for high school students and is based on the Vermont Framework
of Standards (Integrated History 9-12) and the National Park Service
educational guide, Teaching with Historic Places. It includes
a short diner history, style guide handout, classroom activities,
driving questions and concepts designed to raise awareness amongst
students about diners and historic preservation in general. To
download a copy of the curriculum guide,
click
here.
The curriculum guide is also available on the VeeOne site, listed below.
Historic Preservation and Diner Links
Regional Education Television Network (RETN)
Vermont Department of Education
Vermont Division for Historic Preservation
University of Vermont Historic Preservation Program