How does “the Power of Place” encapsulate your thinking about the present and future of preservation?
When I arrived at the organization, I learned about not only the National Trust itself, but also the family of companies—Main Street America (MSA), the National Trust Community Investment Corporation (NTCIC), our hopes for what has become RePurpose Capital, our historic sites— and partners that fall within that umbrella. I asked myself, what is it that holds all of us together, and makes us one organization?
The answer was that in collaboration with the public, we activate the power of place to improve people’s lives.
But here’s the next question I had to ask: if we’re about the power of place, what’s important about that?
Preservation has a reputation as the movement that says “no,” the movement that keeps things the same, the movement that asks people to maintain.
It’s an undeserved reputation, and so instead of just talking about the power of place, it is important to show all the ways that preservation creates.
