My brother, mother, and I have started a somewhat recent tradition in taking a trip to a different city over the Summer. So far we have been to Seattle, New York, Atlanta, Washington D.C. and San Antonio. It was my brother's turn to choose the destination this year, and he chose to visit Boston, which is packed with historical significance. We spent the entire first day walking the Freedom Trail which passes through 16 different historical sites, and covers two and a half centuries of America's most significant past. After a full day of walking the trail I had seen all of the sites, but still felt like I had not seen everything. There are so many cites relevant to the revolution and the foundation of the United States. The best part was visiting Bunker Hill where there are men dressed in Revolutionary War atire and speak about the battle that took place there. The Freedom Trail Foundation has an annual budget of $900,000 to preserve different sites. The city also supports the trail by giving a $5,000 grant every year. Additional funding comes from Liberty Mutual, American Express, The Massachusetts Cultural Council, and many other Boston-based corporations. The support from the citizens of the city is unique and shows the impact these sites have on the city and its people.
The National Trust of Historic Preservation is dedicated to saving places and revitalizing America's communities through many various preservation groups similar to the Freedom Trail Foundation. The National Trust of Historic Preservation is a great resource for many people, and encourages them to take action in saving historic sites.
In the past, Women carried much of the load when it came to preserving sites of significance. Many Male leaders did not carry the the passion for preservation like Ann Cunningham and other Female advocates for saving history. The founding fathers were more concerned with creating something special than they were with saving something special. There was a long tradition of many all-female organizations set up to preserve sites of historical significance, but the role of the female changed in that they have moved from amateur status into the professional ranks.
"Freedom Trail / City of Boston." Welcome / City of Boston. Web. 04 Sept. 2011.
Sounds like a really interesting experience. I have been to Boston, but I have not done the Freedom Trail. I wonder how long this foundation has been in existence. It would be an interesting idea to consider and research in conjunction with understanding the context of the preservation movement.
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