PRES 6100 | Introduction to Historic Preservation
Professor Heather Veneziano
This introductory course provided a foundation in the history, theory, ethics, and practice of historic preservation in the United States. Through case studies, practitioner engagement, and applied methodology, I explored key components of the field, including significance evaluation, regulatory frameworks, and preservation planning. For the final project, I completed a National Register of Historic Places nomination for the St. Claude Avenue Bridge, a Strauss heel-trunnion bascule bridge built in 1919 over the Industrial Canal in New Orleans. I argued for its significance under Criterion A for Transportation and Criterion C for Engineering, citing its role as a vital freight and evacuation route and as one of the earliest bridge designs by Joseph B. Strauss, later engineer of the Golden Gate. The process involved field photography, historical mapping, structural analysis, and archival research, culminating in a formal registration form prepared in accordance with NPS standards.