Practical Preservation

This week we spoke with Matt Fisher of Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad about the history and current operations of this private railroad servicing eastern Pennsylvania. This week we spoke with Matt Fisher of Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad about the history and current operations of this private railroad servicing eastern Pennsylvania.

Amy Heavilin of Vivacious Victorian joined the Practical Preservation podcast to discuss documenting the restoration of multiple homes!  Amy shares her lessons learned from multiple restoration projects including: know your limits, ask questions, and find local people to build your resource list.  If you are looking for inspiration for your project visit Amy’s blog (after...Read More

John High of Barn Saver joined the Practical Preservation podcast to discuss his work recycling barns.  He shared that 30% of our waste is construction by recycling either through architectural salvage or moving the barn he is helping to keep these pieces of history out of the landfill. John’s wife, Linda Oatman High, wrote a...Read More

Timothy Essig of the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum joined the Practical Preservation podcast to discuss the vision and interpretation of the Landis’ Brothers collection of Pennsylvania German Heritage.   The goal of the Landis’ Brothers, “to preserve the vanishing culture” helped to create a farmstead to help show Pennsylvania German Heritage from 1740-1940 focused...Read More

Tom Brennan, co-founder of The Green Garage and the El Moore, in Detroit, MI, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss these properties as innovative examples of sustainable working and living spaces. We covered multiple topics, including: Background information about Tom and his wife and co-founder Peggy, and how they came to initiate and complete...Read More

John O’Brien, Director of West Chester, PA’s Business Improvement District, and Jim Brown, Vice-President of Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County, in Lancaster, PA, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss their organization’s respective responses to COVID-19. We covered multiple topics, including: Background information about John and Jim, and on both West Chester PA Busine...

THIS IS A RE-POST OF A PODCAST INTERVIEW WE ORIGINALLY POSTED February 2019: Susan Dippre from Susan Dippre Designs joined the Practical Preservation podcast to discuss how working at Colonial Williamsburg combined her love of history and landscaping. She has recently begun her own company to provide the general public with Williamsburg inspired designs from...Read More

Becky LaBarre, executive director of Renfrew Museum and Park, located in Waynesboro, PA, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss the site, as well as special Christmas events. We covered multiple topics, including: Becky’s background, including how growing up near Greenfield Village sparked her early interest in History and Preservation The history and preservation story...Read More

John Renne, Ph. D., AICP, professor in the department of Urban and Regional Planning at Florida Atlantic University, located in Boca Raton, FL, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss the ways in which urban planning, transit oriented development and historic preservation intersect. We covered multiple topics, including: John’s academic background and how work with his...Read More

Mike Kennedy of Lower City Joinery, located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss his custom woodworking business. We covered multiple topics, including: How home improvement shows served as Mike’s original inspiration to do woodworking Mike’s varied background in the industry, from working for a new-build window and door manufacturing company...Read Mo...

Kaitlin O’Shea of Preservation in Pink, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss her blog and how preservation is a part of so much of everyday life. We covered multiple topics, including: Kaitlin’s desire growing up to live in a walkable neighborhood, and how she eventually connected that to preservation Kaitlin’s varied experiences as a...Read More

Tim Freund of Lancaster Cemetery in Lancaster, PA, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss the history, preservation, and ongoing use of the cemetery. We covered multiple topics, including: How Tim’s living in close proximity to the cemetery coupled with his civic-mindedness inspired his current membership on the cemetery board The challenges of maintaining any...Read More

Sam McKelvey and Alice French – executive director and director of education – of the Menokin Foundation in Warsaw, VA, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss their preservation project, and the Foundation’s many services. We covered multiple topics, including: Sam and Alice’s respective backgrounds in history, preservation, and related fields, and how working at...Read More

Bruce Bomberger, Ph. D., archivist and librarian at the Lebanon County Historical Society in Lebanon (Lebanon County), PA, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss the Lebanon County Historical Society’s resources and services. We covered multiple topics, including: Bruce’s varied background in many areas of history, from archaeology to former curator of Landis Valley Museum The...Read...

Chris Vera, president of the Columbia Historic Preservation Society in Columbia (Lancaster County), PA, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss Columbia history, legends, and lore. We covered multiple topics, including: Chris’s background as a child growing up in Columbia, whose passion for local history developed from working for elderly neighbors – people who preserved...Read More

Bill Callahan, the Western, PA Community Preservation Coordinator for the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO is a bureau within the PA Historical and Museum Commission) in Pittsburgh, PA, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss the state organization’s myriad services. We covered multiple topics, including: Bill’s background, including how exposure to the negative i...

Dominique Hawkins, founder and managing principal of Preservation Design Partnership based in Philadelphia, PA, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss flood mitigation in historic areas. We covered multiple topics, including: Dominique’s background in design, architecture, and historic preservation, including her early career transition from architecture for housing developments to t...

Briana Grosicki, associate principal of PlaceEconomics based in Washington, D.C., joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss the economic benefits of preservation. We covered multiple topics, including: Briana’s background, including growing up regularly visiting local battlefields in Virginia, volunteering with her main street district as a teen, to working with Donovan Rypkema  Briana’...

April C. Thomas, proprietor and sole designer of Fashions Revisited, and Director of the Historic Foodways Program for the Northern York County Historical and Preservation Society (NYCHAPS) in Dillsburg, PA, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss her fashion business and the foodways program. We covered multiple topics, including: April’s background, including growing up working...Re...

Bill Morrow, president of Langhorne Carpet Company in Penndel, PA, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss the company’s history and current operations. We covered multiple topics, including: Bill’s family’s background in the carpet-making business, founding Langhorne Carpet Company in 1930 Henry Ford’s connection to the mill The company’s basis on heritage and tradition –...Read More

Mike Emery, site administrator of Cornwall Iron Furnace in Cornwall (Lebanon County), PA – joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss the museum’s history and current operations. We covered multiple topics, including: Mike’s own deep roots – growing up in Pennsylvania, as well as working in several local museum positions in Pennsylvania – which inspired...Read More

Jack and Jessica Meyer – father-daughter owners of  White Chimneys in Gap (Lancaster County), PA – joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss their property’s history and their business. We covered multiple topics, including: The Meyers’ realization of their historic preservation values through the purchase and renovation of White Chimneys over the past 15 years...Read More

Adam Zurn, founder of Uncharted Lancaster, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss his website’s dual function as an educational and adventure tool. We covered multiple topics, including: How his background as a child of the 1980s influenced his curious, adventurous side, and the inspiration for Uncharted Lancaster  How Uncharted Lancaster includes “adventures” with directions...Read...

Jeffrey Marshall, the president of Heritage Conservancy in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss the organization’s mission and work conserving and preserving a combination of natural and cultural heritage resources in Southeastern Pennsylvania. We covered multiple topics, including: Jeffrey’s background combining his lifelong loves of nature, history, an...

Lindsey Bennett of KIZ Resources, LLC, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss the company’s tax credit transfer services. We covered multiple topics, including: Origins of the company – originally named for the Keystone Innovation Zone Tax Credit (KIZ) – and their focus on state and federal tax credit transfers for businesses Their specialized services...Read More