The The National Trust for Historic Preservation was released its annual list of America 11 Most Endangered Historic Places to raise awareness of sites that are part of the fabric that weaves the country’s story together.
“The layered stories behind these places illustrate the complexities and challenges that have always been part of what it means to be American, but haven’t always received the attention they deserve,” said Jay Clemens. , interim president and CEO of the National Trust, in a statement. “The loss of any one of them would diminish us all.”
For the first time in the list’s 36-year history, two Chinatowns on both coasts are featured, including one of the oldest Asian American neighborhoods on the West Coast. Some places are related to different chapters of Black history.
“Multicultural communities that grew up alongside a particular place are now facing cultural erasure — the gradual loss of community markers that help tell the story of the people who called a place home, including loss of cherished local businesses, restaurants, customs, and traditions,” the statement said. “By rallying around places that symbolize their history and stories, many neighborhoods and communities are leading the charge to protect what makes them special in the face of overdevelopment, displacement, and gentrification.”
The National Trust scrutinizes the nominations from the public and narrows down the list.
From Miami to Seattle, these sites face a range of serious and unique challenges. Some sites are located in major cities and also face challenges brought by climate change and extreme weather.
America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Sites
- Osterman Gas Station, Peach Springs, Arizona
- Little Santo Domingo, Miami, Florida
- Pierce Chapel African Cemetery, Midland, Georgia
- Century and Consumers Buildings, Chicago, Illinois
- West Bank of St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana
- Holy Aid and Comfort Spiritual Church, New Orleans, Louisiana (aka Perseverance Benevolent and Mutual Aid Society Hall)
- LV Hull Home and Studio, Kosciusko, Mississippi
- Henry Ossawa Tanner House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia Chinatown, Pennsylvania
- Historic Neighborhoods of Charleston, South Carolina
- Seattle Chinatown-International District, Washington
What the organization says you can do to help maintain these sites
“Each site offers an opportunity to engage with our shared history where it happened and inspires us to work together to honor each other’s experiences and contributions to our nation,” said Chief Preservation Officer Katherine Malone-France.
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