A couple of weeks ago I did a post of the Fruita School in Capital Reef NP.
That humble-looking house in Fruita appears quite deceiving at first glance. Who would have thought it was a school? Yet, with all the significant heritage embedded in its architecture, that landmark is simply a historical treasure to be admired and preserved.
and it got me thinking is there such a thing as Heritage Architecture? What is it?
According to Bidwells
Heritage architecture is a term that refers to buildings or structures of historical or cultural importance, which are a vital part of the country's heritage and require conservation.
It seems to me that at some point all buildings could become heritage architecture. I am sure that in 1896 the 8-10 families that were living in Fruita, Utah would never have thought that this little school house would become a place of interests of tourist all over the world driving through Capital Reef National Park.
The fact is-- this 125 year old school house tells the story of the people would lived in this remote area of Utah. It tells of the importance they places on education and community. It tells of their industry and isolation.
It is also interesting that as I think back to my time in Capital Reef and seeing this school house--- I don't recall any other buildings around it. Where were the houses? I wonder why this is the only building that survived this long?
500 miles south in Mesa, Arizona there was home built in the same year, 1896, by Joel Sirrine. There are some remarkable differences in the buildings. The Fruita Schoolhouse tell the story of poor families in rural Utah. This home tells of prosperity of the son of the mayor of the city of Mesa.
This home is opened for the public to see during Mesa funded events, including Historic Mesa Home tours. Which is when I have toured it.
One of the most interesting things I learned about on the tour of the house is that the porch was necessary and slept on in the hot Arizona summer months before air conditioning. Air conditioning was first used in homes in 1914.
This government program has identified over 90,000 properties of significant heritage in the United States.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources.
I found both buildings on the National Register of Historic Places
Here are a few more buildings that I have seen, in the US, that have I think have historical and cultural significance.
What buildings have you visited or that are in your city that you would consider Heritage Architecture? Why?
Sources:
Bidwells
Sirrine House
Air conditioning
National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places Database
