Heritage Conservation in America: An Introduction

This publication was written as a basic introduction to American preservation for an international audience. It details the preservation movement’s origins and development, the main public, private and non-profit entities, financial and policy incentives, preservation’s connection with sustainable development and a comparison with the British model. It is one of a series of publications produced by Heritage Strategies International.

Heritage Strategies International is a Washington DC-based consulting firm offering services on the economic evaluation of historic resources and integrating heritage buildings into economic development strategies. We provide professional, high quality education, information, and technical assistance internationally to clients seeking to encourage the economically productive use of heritage resources. Our clients include local and national governments, international non-governmental organizations, international development banks and others. Donovan Rypkema is President of Heritage Strategies International. He is the author of The Economics of Historic Preservation: A Community Leader's Guide and an adjunct professor in the Historic Preservation program at the University of Pennsylvania. Caroline Cheong, Director of Research, holds a master's degree in historic preservation from the University of Pennsylvania and an undergraduate degree in anthropology from the University of Chicago. She recently held a one-year research appointment at the Getty Conservation Institute in Los Angeles.