Williamsburg is just one, although one of the most famous, examples of
inadequate research and fashionable ideology in "reconstruction" that
produced some howlers. There is virtually no "reconstructed" house or farm
museum in the US that has not suffered a similar fate to some degree or
other. This is why I am so hard nosed regarding destruction of genuine
historic fabric. Fashions change, ideology changes; historic buildings once
vandalized cannot be recovered.

The article that has been single-most influential in my thinking on this
subject has been "The Delicate Tasks of the Folklife/History Museum:
Balancing the Givens" by Edward L. Hawes, to be found in Folklife and
Museums: Selected Readings by Patricia Hall and Charlie Seemans. The core
argument of the article states that there are four major elements operating
in a Historical Museum site: historical given (selected items that staff
brings to public attention); physical givens (contemporary surrounding
environment); support groups and patrons (preconceived notions of what the
Museum ought to be); and, preconceived notions that are brought by visitors
and tourists. The actual historical reality needs to be balanced with the
three other givens to have a project succeed. No easy task.

In the Montpelier case the actual historic building will be destroyed to
cater to the mythic view of the structure by patron(s); the DuPont
landscaping will make the siting inauthentic (physical given); and, the
public will be convinced that this is the "real" Montpelier, thereby
strengthening their historic misconceptions. In addition, real houses that
have been moved from an original site and replica structures will continue
to be denigrated for inauthenticity by the same scholars who will laud this
recreation as a triumph of modern historiography. And some would question my
use of the word "lie"?
nburlakoff

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf
Of Pamela Feltus
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2003 9:44 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Montpelier / Landscapes

The mention of Williamsburg reminds me that the National Building Museum
hosted a lecture several years ago by an author who had written a book about
Williamsburg and how the original "reconstruction" in the early 20th century
was historically inaccurate. I can not remember the speaker or the name of
his book, but if anyone knows it, it could be a good resource.

Pamela

> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Harvey [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 12:14 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Montpelier / Landscapes
>
> Meghan,
>
> This discussion of historical landscapes in always a problem - one only
> has to see the cars and buses zooming around Colonial Williamsburg after
> breaching in encircling pancake houses and hotels on the way there.
>
> It is also a major problem with every Charcoal Iron Furnace site I have
> ever seen. These days they appear as peaceful buccolic park lands
> surrounded with second growth forests and bird song. Historic prints and
> photos belie that scene as those sites had sometimes tens of thousands of
> acres of denuded land from the intensive charcoal production necessary to
> feed these furnaces (a colonial era furnace could burn an acre of timber a
> day). Plus, all of the soot and noise and sounds of one of these things in
> operation.
>
> Monticello, so near to Montpelier, also is missing signiifcant aspects of
> its historic landscape (one only has to think of Mulberry row - with its
> shops and slave quarters.)
>
> So, Montpelier is not alone in having an altered historic landscape I
> suspect.
>
> Cheers!
> Dave
>
> David Harvey
> Artifacts
> 2930 South Birch Street
> Denver, CO  80222
> 303-300-5257
> [log in to unmask]
>
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