Still true after 180 years..

I have been spending a good deal of time rebuilding this site lately and got to thinking about who was going to visit it. Then I remembered something I read  and decided that  history does indeed repeat itself.

From John Daggett's 1834 "History of Attleborough"

Introduction:

"This little work is designed principally for the citizens of this town. The subject is not presumed to be of sufficient interest to attract the particular attention of strangers. I have, therefore, entered into details and local descriptions which will not be interesting to readers in general, but only to those who are connected with the scene by association or locality."

9 Reasons to Support Historic Preservation

1. Enhancing our quality of life:
   In contributing to the familiar, aesthetic quality of our surroundings, where we live and work, the historic environment enhances our sense of well-being. As it is all around us and easily accessible, it provides a setting for a great variety of local activities.
   
   
2. Knowing ourselves:
   The historic environment is fundamental to our sense of place, helps link us to our roots and underpins our sense of cultural identity. It is of value for what it tells us about past society, modern culture and human interaction with the environment, and it helps give us a long-term view of social and environmental change.
   
   
3. Place-making:
   The historic environment contributes significantly to people’s sense of place and their enjoyment of different spaces. The character of our local landscape and townscape is largely the product of historic development, and this is reflected in the diversity and distinctiveness of landscapes and neighborhood lay-outs, as well as in building styles, materials and cultural traditions. This historic character is not only attractive in its own right, but it can act as a catalyst for creative new designs.
   
   
4. Sustainability:
   The historic environment represents an enormous past investment of physical, natural and intellectual resources. Where historic features already exist, it makes good sense to make the most of the resource they provide, rather than destroy them or allow them to decay with consequent cultural, environmental, social and economic costs.
   
   
5. Environmental regeneration:
   The historic environment can make a beneficial contribution to the regeneration of both urban and rural areas. Through the adaptation of historic buildings for modern uses, and in providing a high quality setting for new development, the historic environment provides a unique environment where people choose to live and work. Their inherent quality provides an opportunity for reviving run-down areas.
   
   
6. Employment and economic success:
   The historic environment can make a significant contribution to economic prosperity. The historic environment generates value by creating a high quality setting for modern life, attracting inward investment and helping to create economic prosperity. The economic benefits of tourism are also closely linked to the historic environment - many visitors to Massachusetts come primarily to visit historic sites and make an important contribution to the local economies. Attracting visitors to an area provides economic benefits through direct employment linked to the historic sites, as well as to tourism-related businesses, while heritage projects also generate employment and play an important role in maintaining traditional skills for wider application.
   
   
7. An educational resource:
   The historic environment provides a focus and resource for lifelong learning about the human past and how people have inhabited the landscape and used natural resources through time. This aids teaching about our modern culture and our present environment.
   
   
8. Recreation and access:
   Open spaces and historic sites are popular places for recreation, attracting local people and visitors alike.
   
   
9. Our broader environment:
   Investigation of the historic environment contributes significantly to our understanding of environmental change and the impact of human activity on natural resources through time. Such knowledge of the past is vital for informing management decisions today. Historic features frequently provide locally important habitats for flora and fauna, the nature of which is often closely related to human activity in the past.