Memorial Day, the day Americans set aside to remember those who fell in the service of the nation, is a day filled with parades, speeches and moving remembrances of the loved and lost.
As work on the Jonathan Street cabin progresses and the once-stripped structure gradually forms into a cozy abode, it seems appropriate to reflect on those who once called 417 home. While not everyone left their marks on the dwelling like H. May, each resident’s time in the cabin is noteworthy.
Historic structures require significant repair and upkeep – but with routine maintenance the time and expense associated with those repairs can be substantially reduced. Equally important as maintaining the structure is making sure that those repairs are safe for historic buildings. Often, preservation-safe repairs cost the same or slightly more but can save property owners in the long-run. These preservation best practices are not a comprehensive or complete guide to every issue a property owner will confront but are a jumping off point for your next preservation project.
If Maryland is America in Miniature, then Maryland’s U.S. Route 1 is our Route 66.
Aaron Marcavitch is the director of the Maryland Milestones state heritage area that follows much of U.S. Route 1 through Prince George’s County on it’s way between Baltimore and Washington, DC. This historic stretch of road boast auto-centric architecture illustrated and explained in his new book, “Images of America: US Route 1 Baltimore to Washington, DC.”
To learn more about Aaron’s expertise and fascination with historic roadside architecture, listen to his interview with Preservation Maryland on PreserveCast.