Preservation Magazine's Favorite Photos from 2017
A Retrospective
Even though I am never able to visit all the places we feature in Preservation, I often feel as if I know them through the stories and photos we present in the magazine and online—and I hope you do as well. Good photography has a way communicating not just narratives but emotions. When I look back on the photos we published in 2017, my favorites do what I would imagine all photographers hope for: They capture the essence of the place.
photo by: Lane Coder
The Sculpture Gallery at Philip Johnson's Glass House, a National Trust Historic Site. Though the building was designed to exhibit Johnson's sculpture collection, architecture, nature, light, and shadow are also always on display.
photo by: Monica Donovan and Judd Lamphere
Historic dairy barns have become symbolic of the rural Vermont landscape, but many, like the 1909 Bragg Farm barn shown here, are costly to maintain. In our Spring 2017 issue, we looked at how the artisanal cheese industry is helping ensure the longevity of Vermont's historic barns.
photo by: Monica Donovan and Judd Lamphere
Eliot Lothrop, a historic preservation contractor, acknowledges that preserving historic barns is particularly challenging because they are not set up for modern dairy farming.
photo by: Lincoln Barbour
Frank Lloyd Wright's Pope-Leighey house is one of his more notable Usonian houses—smaller, well-designed residences for middle-income homeowners.
photo by: Ben Sklar
Between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries, as many as 1,000 dance halls were built in Texas. Today, only 400 remain, and of those 25% are at risk. The Fair Pavilion Hall (shown here) in La Grange was built in 1925 and has hosted hundreds of dances.
photo by: Michelle & Chris Gerard
The Fisher Building in Detroit is a 1928 Art Deco skyscraper often called "the city's largest art object." EverGreene Architectural Arts recently restored the original interior murals and decorative painting.
photo by: Ethan Welty
Preservation is always challenging work—even more so when construction materials and tools need to be carried by hand to remote sites. Maintained by the Mount Baker Club and the Mount Baker Ranger District, the Winchester Mountain Lookout can only be accessed by a steep hike rising 1,300 feet over two miles.
photo by: Ethan Welty
Located in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Hidden Lake Lookout is available for overnight use on a first-come-first-served basis. Built in 1931, its roof was recently repaired by volunteers from the Friends of Hidden Lake Lookout.
photo by: Ty Cole
Philadelphia's Oxford Mills complex is experiencing new life as a home to nonprofits and below-market-rate housing. Gryphon Coffee Co., located in the east building of the complex, has become a neighborhood mainstay offering locally sourced, seasonal dishes and artisanal coffee.
photo by: Don Freeman
A National Trust Historic Site, Chesterwood was the summer residence and workplace for Daniel Chester French, who is famous for creating high-profile sculptures such as the Lincoln Memorial statue. French's studio (above) includes models and maquettes that help visitors understand the master sculptor's creative process.
photo by: Jennifer Hughes
One of the National Trust's National Treasures, Founders Library at Howard University was designed by prominent African-American architect Albert Cassell. From its grand reading rooms to its iconic bell tower, Founders Library has been a central meeting place for higher learning and social activism for more than 75 years.
