November 7, 2008

The past few weeks of our lives have been consumed with organizing a fund-raiser for the rehabilitation of the venerable structure seen here. I love this photo because it so perfectly expresses the nature of this restoration project. Here is a huge behemoth of a building, slowly deteriorating. It is a building that has weathered over a century of hard use and is still standing solidly on its foundation. Then there is this puny little pristine white tent next to it that will blow away once the wind gets gusty. The contrast between the two structures, and yet the way they relate to each other--occupying the same space, supporting each other--speak volumes about the nature of historic preservation. The past relies on the present for its perpetuity, and yet the present must respect and honor the past.