of NewYork State, were designated together as the Boston Post Road (BPR) Historic District. Recognition of this caliber is rare. According to theNational Parks Service website, “National Historic Landmarks are exceptional places.They forma commonbond between all Americans. While there are many historic places across the nation, only a small number havemeaning to all Americans–these we call our National Historic Landmarks.” But who determines what is exceptional? And will something that was exceptional in one century stand the fickleness of time and Trip Advisor metrics? Our country is currently embroiled in emotionally and politically charged debates about what protection local monuments and National Monuments merit – more education is needed about how and why certain objects and places have been preserved and landmarked and how their existence adds to or diminishes our shared heritage and identities as Americans. It was the Antiquities Act of 1906 introduced by Theodore Roosevelt which first allowed Presidents to protect public lands from development and create National Monuments — a prerogative President Obama exercised during his administration to protect the Harriet Tubman Home in Maryland, The San Juan Islands in Washington State and three other unique expanses in Delaware, New Mexico and Ohio. What many people do not know is the detailed history that led the federal government to have an interest in preserving the historic venues it didn’t own like the BPR Historic District or nearby Playland Amusement Park, another NHL in Rye designated in 1987. Though the National Parks Service was created in 1916, its clear authority to survey and oversee the preservation of sites of national significance was a slow process, as the charges of many agencies were consolidated under one body. It was not until the Historic Sites Act of 1935 that preservation became active government policy. Similarly, the system of designating National Historic Landmarks didn’t happen overnight. Beloved places like the US Capitol, Monticello, Bunker Hill, West Point, Montpelier or the USS Constitution were not clearly designated National Historic Landmarks until 1960 and later. It was the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 that further
generations and remains relevant. And if you have one in your backyard that fits into all of those categories like the BPR Historic District in Rye, well, it can be an amazing source of pride and deserves some celebration! In 1992 our non-profit, the Jay Heritage Center, acquired the deed to two dilapi- dated, asbestos-laced, raccoon-inhabited, structurally-unsound but incredibly stun- ning architectural beauties. Dramatic be- fore-and-after photos demonstrate how the job to restore these two buildings made the labors of Hercules look like a Disney movie. There were suck-the-breath-out-of-your- body days when the enormity of the task was daunting, but there were and continue to be countless more instances of awe and wonder. We remediated the asbestos. We re- placed the copper roofs. We installed a state of the art geothermal heating and cooling system, becoming the oldest NHL in all of NY State to do this to demonstrate historic preservation can be sustainable. We recently took on stewardship of the entire 23 acre park, rehabilitation of the historic gardens and a 100 year old tennis house, the third oldest in the country. Most importantly, we filled the place with people of all ages and engaging, relevant talks, workshops and hands-on opportunities. But we have much more to do as we look out at the horizon. Our mission very deliberately mirrors the criteria for NHLs: Our non-profit, the Jay Heritage Center (JHC) is dedicated to transforming the 23 acre Jay Estate into a vibrant educational campus, hosting innovative programs about American History, Social Justice, Architecture, Environmental Stewardship and Landscape Conservation. We hope to encourage people of all ages to understand, preserve and protect our shared heritage, natural and man-made – and to inspire the future historians, civic advocates and stewards of our fragile cultural and environmental resources. As we celebrate our 25th Anniversary, we hope you will help us last another century and more like the steadfast Mile Marker outside our front door. --- Suzanne Clary is celebrating her 10th year as President of the Jay Heritage Center by finally writing a book about the Jay Estate, its many residents and the history of its preservation. WESTONMAGAZINEGROUP.COM 167 *
TOP TO BOTTOM: JAY MANSION IN 1992; JOHN JAY'S RESTING PLACE IN RYE. PHOTOS COURTESY JAY HERITAGE CENTER.
expanded the responsibilities of NPS to include state and local sites worthy of preservation though not necessarily of NHL stature. This was effected through the creation of a National Register list. Today there are over 88,000 buildings, parks, landscapes and archaeological sites in this inventory but just slightly over 2500 or 3% have been awarded NHL status. Why is the bar for NHL status so high? Because their intrinsic value must have meaning for all Americans, NHLs must satisfy strict criteria. They are selected because they fit in one or more categories – significant events in America’s history transpired at the site; a prominent American figure lived or worked there; an idea central to the shaping of our nation is embodied by the site; outstanding designs in architecture or spectacular landscapes, natural or man- made, can be seen and enjoyed; invaluable archaeological deposits are preserved there; or a distinctive way of life or cultural heritage is captured there. In other words, an NHL has staying power – it speaks to multiple
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