For those who haven’t heard, the Lake Champlain Bridge is scheduled to be demolished on Wednesday December 23, 2009 at 10am. (Talk about a terrible Christmas present for preservationists, huh?)

See this NYSDOT Press Release. The public may view the demolition at specific areas, such as on Vermont 125 (read this release from VTrans). If you are unable to attend the demolition, it will also be available online via live streaming – see the NYSDOT website on Wednesday morning.

How do preservationists feel about watching the demolition of a bridge they fought to save? Is it a once-in-a-lifetime type of situation or more of an I-can’t-bear-to-watch issue or more like I-will-not-dignify-this-decision-by-watching-it? What lessons could preservationists learn from watching it? Please share your thoughts.

Rosegill, c. 1650, in Urbanna, VA.

When I graduated college, I couldn’t imagine wanting to continue on to graduate school the following fall, mostly because I was tired of being graded on my life. I knew I would always go back to school so I decided that it would be best to take some time off, work in a preservation job, figure out what I wanted to study in grad school, and breathe for a while. Life has a tendency to work out and it did just that. Overhills was the perfect job for me and it led me to the University of Vermont for my M.S. Historic Preservation.

I used to wonder why grad school was only 1-2 years (in most fields) because it seemed so short compared to undergrad studies, but now I think I know why: 3-4 years of grad school might kill us all. Grad school is exhausting, but so far I have survived semester one. What is grad school like? Some readers know already, as they have been through this, but the best thing I can say is: as in most endeavors in life, graduate school is entirely what you make of it; you get out what you put in – regarding effort, interest, and thinking.

How does graduate school compare to college, so far? I generally explain it as UMW and UVM are complementary for me. I do have similar classes in graduate school, but having the well-rounded preservation base from Mary Washington has allowed me to approach my studies at Vermont differently. I am able to think one step beyond what I thought before, melding theory and practice and not learning it for the first time. It is easy to see why assignments and readings are given and how they fit into the historic preservation subject as a whole. Vermont fits me very in this sense. Regarding assignments, I think the major difference is that projects in grad school are semester long assignments and collectively build on each other, whereas in undergrad it was more common to have one assignment and then move on (carrying the lessons, but not necessarily the particular subject). Because of this, graduate studies can get exhausting because there is never a moment to stop thinking.

My semester projects can be summed up in just a few words and pictures. Architectural history, community design, researching historic structures, and preservation planning.

UVM HP200 / Architectural History: An architectural description and analysis for this lakeside house.

UVM HP206 / Researching Historic Structures and Sites: The Vermont Barn Census in Townshend, VT.

UVM HP304 / Contemporary Preservation Planning & Policy: A research paper on the case of the Lake Champlain Bridge and how it relates to and interacts with historic preservation.

UVM CDAE295 / Community Design Studio (Sustainable Communities): A semester long group project working to come up with sustainable, in all sense of the word, uses for a historic site in rural Charlotte, VT. My drawings are the second from left, top and bottom - it was kind of like measured drawings, but with more drawing than measurements.

And that was my semester. Following my architectural history final exam, my brain took a vacation and I couldn’t remember where I put anything while baking cookies the next day. (Where is the measuring spoon? Oh, right, behind me. Did I put it there?) But, I think my brain is back, which is good timing because I have some books to read and research options to consider over the break.  I have thoroughly enjoyed my first semester back at school, though I think all I did was homework. However, it’s nice to have some breathing room at Christmastime. Fellow students, how was your fall semester?

Meet Izzy: a three-month old white fluffy kitten joining us in our house. The benefits of a new kitten are wonderful: kitten cuteness to liven things up and make me smile when schoolwork was getting to be overwhelming, endless entertainment by silly kitten adventures, and a purring furball to stay up late with me when I am writing papers or studying.

Izzy. This picture is not posed; she thinks the laptop is hers.

She likes the pink flamingo computer.

Izzy enjoys walking across the keyboard, peeking over the back of the laptop, attacking my fingers as I type, and sitting under the laptop if it’s on my lap.  As you can see, Izzy helped to write my preservation planning paper and then during finals week she hung out with me at night to study for architectural history. Here is the tale of Izzy studying with me (it does not necessarily reflect  my study habits):

Days before studying, acknowledging and avoiding the book at the same time.

Here we go - studying class lectures.

Switching to notes and index cards.

Thinking she could possibly ingest the knowledge if she eats my notebook.

Izzy begins to wonder just how much more there is to study and how much time it will take...

Izzy needing something to stay awake!

Izzy getting tired of this studying thing.

And she's passed out in my arms.

And there you have it – that’s how tiring final exams can be. So Izzy the kitten may not be the best study partner ever, but she wasn’t the worst. But the cuteness, preservation friends, is why having a kitten by my side this last month of school was awesome.

If you have a few minutes sometime soon take this quiz about using the internet to share heritage values. It comes from Voices of the Past, which is a netcast, podcast and accompanying website is to help inspire the advancement of heritage values in our society using today’s online communications tools known as social media.

I’ll be talking more about Voices of the Past soon, but for now they asked for help with the survey. Check out the website, take the quiz – quickly – before it ends!

Looking up in Rockefeller Center, December 2008.

The sad news has likely reached all interested parties by now: the Lake Champlain Bridge is to be demolished as soon as possible. A demolition company has been hired and design for the new bridge (to be erected in the same place as the current bridge) are moving full speed ahead. On Saturday December 12, NYSDOT held three public meetings to offer a summary of issues and present six new bridge designs. See the presentation here. Now the public is invited to view the designs online and to participate in a survey, categorizing reactions to the bridge designs, choosing what new bridge features are important, and commenting on how to commemorate the old bridge. The opportunity to participate in this bridge survey is available only until midnight on Monday December 14. Participants do not have to be New York State or Vermont residents. The survey is anonymous. Historic preservationists, bridge enthusiasts, historians, citizens, everyone can voice an opinion. This is an important chance to have a voice in the outcome of the new bridge.



What is your personality in terms of architecture? Take this quiz from HGTV to find out where you fall in the wide range of architectural styles.

I was hoping to be of the arts and crafts variety, but I took the quiz twice (you’ll see that some questions you can probably answer more than one way) and both times I received:

You’re solid as a Ranch house!

Simple and suburban by nature, you exude a cozy warmth that lets people know you don’t mind if they leave their shoes on in the house — it’s only carpet, after all! Family and friends are important to you, and you love having them stop by. While not overly fussy or vain, you care about your looks — but honestly, you’re happiest in sweatpants. To you, life isn’t measured in the goods you’ve acquired, but in time well spent.

Well, thinking about it, it’s not so bad and having grown up in a 1957 ranch house, what else am I supposed to know? And I do love having friends and family stop by; I was just hoping to escape suburbia! Not this time, I guess. Well, for anyone else who was hoping for a different style, this quiz only uses 18 styles and we know just how many there are beyond that 18. Take the quiz and share your results.

An edit: So, I found out there was a bonus question involving dog choices, but that didn’t come up every time for my quiz. Strange. But with the dog question (and the same answers that got me the ranch house) I ended up with Highbrow Greek Revival:

Greek Revival homes (also called Southern Colonial) are a mixture of many influences, including Roman and Greek (the columns) and French (the high windows). You’re a mix, too. You take the best from the world and make it all work together. Though sophisticated, you’re still up for a night of dancing on a sawdust floor. You love life. You have a welcoming temperament and can always find time to chat over snacks.

Hmm…I suppose a combination of all types is a good thing. Clearly, this quiz is way too entertaining. Keep playing!

Thanks to Maria G. for sharing this quiz!

To those writing articles for the December/January issue of Preservation in Pink, please start sending them to me. Your deadline is before Christmas (anytime before is fine) and after December 17th would be perfect. If you have a magnet already, I’ll come up with something else as a thank you/writing compensation.There is still room for some articles, so please consider it. To my fellow preservation bloggers out there – this includes you! Consider it another place to get on your soapbox (as long as you can back it up, of course).

Given the fate* of the Lake Champlain Bridge and the amount of my life that is has consumed lately, it seems fitting to share another photograph. My photographs cannot do it justice, however. Check the Center for Digital Initiatives at the University of Vermont for beautiful, historic photographs by Louis McAllister. The Special Collections Library at UVM has a wonderful postcard collection with many Lake Champlain Bridge views.

* from the NYSDOT website: NYSDOT is expecting Federal Highway Administration approval for the bridge demolition by Monday 12/7. NYSDOT’s prime contractor will be receiving bids from subcontractors for the controlled demolition of most bridge sections on Monday 12/7 and select subcontractors on Wednesday 12/9. Crews will start preparing the bridge for demolition as soon as next week.