This Place Matters – The National Trust For Historic Preservation

I’ve just found out about this swell project from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

I think between now and the end of May, which is Historic Preservation Month in Nevada, that it would be a great time to load up the “This Place Matters” website with all the places that matter in Las Vegas. ESPECIALLY IN VINTAGE VEGAS!

Want to help?

PLACE A FLAG MARKING THE LOCATION ON THE GOOGLE MAP

There’s two different things that we can do, though I wish they were tied together. Anyone can place a property or location on the map for just about any reason. They allow a HEADLINE and a description of up to 255 characters. There’s categories for honoring places of National as well as Community and Personal importance. You Can See The Google Map Here. Just click on any flag and you’ll figure it out.  

UPLOAD A PHOTO OF THE PLACE THAT MATTERS

There’s also the ability to upload a photo of the the Place that Matters. All you have to do is take your (someone’s) picture while holding the “This Place Matters” sign in front of the place. Upload it to the website, where it will be placed in a massive slide show on the PreservationNation’s Ficker Page. 

LINK THE TWO TOGETHER

I suggest putting Las Vegas in the headline along with the name of the property. Since you have to do the map thing as one step, and the picture as another….USE THE SAME HEADLINE FOR THE MAP DESCRIPTION AS FOR THE PICTURE UPLOAD. That way they can at least be tied together if someone wanted to search the flicker group with the same headline that was used on the map description. I’ve suggested that the NTHP amend the instructions so that the flag and the picture can be connected together in at least that way.

In an email exchange with Susan Neumann of the NTHP, I suggested they link the pictures to the map. She replied this morning:

Mr. Levine,
 
Many thanks for your recent message.  We’re very excited about the relaunch of the This Place Matters campaign.
 
Unfortunately, both of the improvements you currently recommend are not technologically possible at this time.  They were in our initial requirement request, but without building a program from scratch, it is not possible to accomplish with the available technology.  As a national nonprofit dedicated to preservation, we chose to compromise on the technology and spend more money saving places that matter to us all.
 
Thank you for your support of preservation, and of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
 

This should be a lot of fun. If it catches on, it will be a great resource for cultural tourism. I have lots of ideas, and will keep the sign right on my dashboard and will start to take pictures tomorrow. I hope you’ll help me fill the Vintage Vegas area of the map with everything that matters.

So, put some fresh batteries in the camera, print out a “This Place Matters” SIGN from the website, upload your pictures, put a flag on the map, and if you’d like, I can also publish them here at VeryVintageVegas. Just email me the picture and description, and I’ll give you a special shout-out thank you.

At the moment I’m writing this, the only thing in the ENTIRE Las Vegas Valley that has been mapped or uploaded is this picture taken at 5pm on Wednesday of MaryJOY and “The Mayme Stocker Home” on Bracken Avenue.

Let’s really show the nation that there’s some very interesting buildings, homes, businesses, historic locations, and even places of that only matter to you, personally.  I’d especially like it if we can memorialize some of the places that have already been demolished. 

Please join me. It should be a lot of fun.