Find information here to get a solid start on researching your essay.
About Planning
Read a definition of planning and meet a planner by reading the attached flyer, "Plan It." (pdf)
To identify and locate your local planning agency, follow these guidelines.
About Historic Preservation
Find out about the field of preservation by reading the following web pages.
Read background articles on historic preservation and sustainability published in Preservation magazine, a publication of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. These are posted here with the permission of the National Trust.
This article on the history of preservation movement was published in the American Planning Association's The Commissioner.
About the City Beautiful Movement
Wikipedia offers a good summary of the City Beautiful Movement.
About Sustainability
There are several definitions of sustainability available on the web. The first is here: http://www.arch.wsu.edu/09%20publications/sustain/defnsust.htm. Wikipedia also offers a basic article on sustainability.
About Plats
To read a definition and to learn where to find the plat of your community, review the lesson plan, "City Detective: City Detective: Who Designed My Town?" (pdf)
About Historic Preservation Plans
See the City of Carbondale Historic Preservation Plan for an example of a preservation plan.
About Preserving the Recent Past
The Cultural Resource Management website provides some insight into preserving the recent past: http://crm.cr.nps.gov/issue.cfm?volume=18&number=08.
About Your State Historic Preservation Office
To find your statewide preservation nonprofit organization, search on the Internet using the words "preservation" + "name of your state." Or visit the National Park Service website.
Criteria for Designating Historic Buildings and Districts
The National Register of Historic Places Criteria is available online at www.nps.gov/history/nr/listing.htm.
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