Preservation Success in All Shapes and Sizes

Swetland Homestead in Wyoming under repair by the Luzerne County Historical Society.
Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office

In May 2021 the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO) asked Pennsylvanians to send in their preservation success stories to celebrate National Historic Preservation Month. Now, PA SHPO is welcoming success stories all year long — not just in May.

A preservation success story can be an activity, event, person, organization or place that shines a spotlight on efforts across the commonwealth to preserve, protect and celebrate its older and historic places.

The concept of the preservation success story is a direct result of what we heard a few years ago when PA SHPO and its partners talked with Pennsylvanians all over the commonwealth as part of our research for the 2018–23 statewide historic preservation plan, #PreservationHappensHere. We learned that, in Pennsylvania, it was time to replace the narrow view of historic preservation as only relating to historic buildings with one that is more expansive and inclusive of all types of older and historic places.

A “whole place” preservation approach emphasizes the understanding and value of a place’s collective tangible and intangible characteristics and can encompass elements such as open space, historic and archaeological resources, working lands, environmental quality, trails, recreational opportunities, public health, and community character.

The success stories we have seen over the years range from small “wins” toward a larger goal to the completion of major planning or construction projects. Until recently, we had no formal way to collect and record these stories. We often found them through social media or by following the #PreservationHappensHere hashtag; other times we discovered them from an email or ongoing project. We use the library of success stories we collect as the source of candidates for PA SHPO’s Community Initiative Awards, which are given to people and organizations whose work embodies the spirit of #PreservationHappensHere.

This year, we asked Pennsylvanians to submit their stories using PA-SHARE (Pennsylvania’s State Historic and Archaeological Resource Exchange, see PHMC Highlights, Summer 2021), which is Pennsylvania’s new accessible online tool for those who work with and care about Pennsylvania’s older and historic places. PA-SHARE’s launch just a few months before in February provided the perfect opportunity to promote just one of its capabilities — providing a vehicle for Pennsylvanians to share their success stories quickly and easily. Available to anyone with or without a user account, the Success Story wizard on the PA-SHARE “Submit” page requires only basic information about the story and submitter and one photograph.

Throughout May, we received dozens of success stories from many different places across the commonwealth. They range from private homeowners tackling a painstaking restoration to large cities adopting plans and policies that are positive gamechangers for their neighborhoods. Here are just a few of the stories Pennsylvanians shared with us through PA-SHARE this year.

Restoration of the Swetland Homestead (Luzerne County Historical Society)

Located in the small town of Wyoming, the earliest portion of the Swetland was built in 1797 and expanded multiple times through the mid-19th century.

From 2020 to 2021 the Luzerne County Historical Society completed a major exterior maintenance and repair campaign. The project included painting the wood siding, replacing rotted and damaged wood trim and shutters, installing a new cedar shake roof, repointing the chimney, and improving access with new sidewalks and accessibility ramps.

Old Swedish Baptist Church, rehabilitated and ready for reuse in Erie.
Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office

Adaptive Reuse of the Old Swedish Baptist Church (Preservation Erie)

In the City of Erie, the Old Swedish Baptist Church is being transformed into the new home of the Grace Leadership Institute to support Erie’s diverse religious community.

Thanks to a partnership with Erie Insurance, the Grace Baptist Church congregation is able to reinvest in this historic property and use it to spur revitalization of the surrounding neighborhood.

An original corbel from the 1865 Edward and Mary Graham house in Bellefonte and a reproduction made for the building’s renovation.
Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office

Recreating the Beauty on Spring Street in Bellefonte, Centre County (Private Homeowner)

The homeowners of the 1865 Edward and Mary Graham house were fortunate enough to find some treasures to help them in their decades-long project to return the home to its early-20th-century appearance.

A 1927 photograph of the house, passed down from owner to owner, showed the original appearance of the house before extensive exterior renovations in 1953. A note found in the house’s cellar chronicled what changes the owners at the time made, such as removing all the corbels along the roofline. The homeowners also discovered an original corbel in the house’s attic, which provided the template to replace them.

Although most people lack the resources to invest in a major rehabilitation, efforts to restore a historic photograph, project records, or original pieces of building fabric are important elements in a place’s future preservation success story.

The Dreibelbis Station Covered Bridge, crossing Maiden Creek south of Lenhartsville, after restoration.
Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office

Dreibelbis Station Covered Bridge Rehabilitation (Berks County Planning Commission)

Built in 1869, the Dreibelbis Station Covered Bridge is a single-span, 168-footlong Burr arch covered bridge crossing Maiden Creek and connecting Greenwich and Windsor townships. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

After decades of repairs and deteriorating conditions, the bridge needed to be replaced or rehabilitated. Recognizing the bridge’s history and status as a community landmark, the Berks County commissioners and their partners embarked on a multiyear campaign financed with county and federal funds to return the bridge to full, active service.

Completed in August 2020, the rehabilitation strengthened the bridge for continued use while maintaining its unique design and character. With a newly restored historic appearance, this covered bridge is successfully preserved for future generations.

Sharing a preservation success story — through PA-SHARE or any other way — gives Pennsylvanians and their communities the opportunity to say “this historic place is important to us” and gives the rest of us a chance to celebrate their successes right along with them. For more information about sharing your preservation success story, visit PA SHPO’s Community Initiative Awards page.

Shelby Weaver Splain is the education and special initiatives coordinator for the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office.