PreserveCast

Typically we're in studio 1:1 with our guests, but today's episode comes to you in different format. Join us on-site at the Maryland Association of Counties' annual conference where we pulled up a chair (and a mic) with policymakers, heritage area colleagues, Main Street advocates, county reps, elected officials, and fellow history lovers to swap stories about historic preservation, Maryland’s past, funding, and what's in store for the future.

As preservationists from across the country gather for the PastForward 2025 conference, we’re reminded that our work—protecting and activating historic places and the stories they hold—is more important than ever. On this special release episode of PreserveCast, we welcome Carol Quillen, President & CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, for a timely and thoughtful conversation about the challenges and opportunities facing our field. We discuss the importance of preservation not just as a way of protecting the past, but as an essential investment in our future. At a moment when federal programs, grant opportunities, and staffing that support preservation are at risk, we cover what we should expect from our leadership in this space and the work being done to save history.

Kate Livie is a Chesapeake educator, writer and social historian whose work explores the Chesapeake’s culture, history, traditions and environment. Formerly the director of education and associate curator at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, Livie serves as adjunct faculty in Chesapeake Studies at Washington College and as chairman of the maritime committee at the Maryland Center for History and Culture. Her 2015 book, Chesapeake Oysters: The Bay’s Foundation and Future, won the Maryland Historical Society’s Marion Brewington prize for Maritime History. Livie contributes regularly to regional publications like Chesapeake Bay Magazine, Baltimore Magazine, and Edible Delmarva, and has hosted programs on Bay culture and history for MPT, NPR and the History Channel. Livie regularly lectures on topics exploring the intersection of Chesapeake environment and tradition at cultural institutions, colleges and non-profits throughout the region.

Dr. Melissa Reid is the executive director of the Taylor House Museum, located in historic downtown Berlin, Maryland. Dr. Reid's doctoral research focused on community and artifactual literacies. Her work documented how historical stories of the local Black community were shared in the larger Berlin community. This research helps supports the mission of the Taylor House which is Telling the Stories of Berlin. Her family has roots in the Berlin area, going back several hundred years. She comes from a long line of storytellers.

Historic foodways is a fan-favorite topic here on the podcast (pretzels, pizza, and many others) so we're thrilled to have comedian, Emmy Award-nominated TV writer, podcaster, and author of Raw Dog, the Naked Truth About Hot Dogs, Jamie Loftus join us today! Jamie's book is a blend of travelogue, culinary history, and critique of capitalism, revealing how the hot dog, a food often associated with low culture and affordability, has become deeply intertwined with American identity and commercialism. To purchase: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250847751/rawdog/

When you think of pirates – you may think of far-off warm islands and tropical beaches or perhaps your mind goes to modern-day piracy off the dangerous horn of Africa – but you probably don’t think of the brackish waters of the Chesapeake Bay off the coast of Maryland and Virginia. Dr. Jamie Goodall has spent years studying that very story – and has published a compelling account of piracy on these now quiet waters. Let’s set sail for Chesapeake Bay – but keep a clear eye because these waters be dangerous!

Today we're joined by journalist and author Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson, talking about her critically-acclaimed book, Claire McCardell: The Designer Who Set Women Free, which came out in June of 2025 from Simon & Schuster. Named a New York Times Editors’ Choice, an Amazon Editor’s pick for Best History, and a must-read book featured in Oprah Daily, The Atlantic, Elle, Forbes, Harper's Bazaar, and on NPR's All Things Considered, among many others, Dickinson’s first book has been hailed as an exceptional biography and an essential read that “puts the American fashion icon Claire McCardell back in the pantheon,” according to Kate Bolick of The New York Times Book Review. Learn more, including where to purchase: https://www.eedickinson.com/

Today we're joined by The Campaign for Historic Trades' Recruitment and Outreach Manager Jordan Riggs to talk about the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and The Campaign's role in this year's event, spotlighting the value of careers, training, and education in historic trades. The Campaign for Historic Trades, like PreserveCast, is powered by Preservation Maryland.

Today we're talking with Nina Jean-Louis, a structural engineer passionate about bridging engineering, cultural heritage, and climate science to design culturally sensitive strategies that help communities safeguard their heritage sites from climate change impacts. Her research involves transdisciplinary methodologies merging qualitative and quantitative approaches to holistically quantify cultural landscape resilience in co-production with community relational values.

Today's episode features a first - a fashion historian, Brooklyn-based Summer Anne Lee. She has an MA in Fashion and Textile Studies from the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she currently teaches various courses in fashion history. Summer's research areas have included subcultural style and the history of women's underpinnings, and she is currently writing a book titled Presidential Fashion: An Illustrated History for the Yale University Press. Learn more: https://www.summerannelee.com/ As referenced: The Roaring Twenties and The Swinging Sixties: https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/exhibitions/roaring-and-swinging.php

Trades Takeover is back! In this episode, Director of Historic Trades Natalie Henshaw speaks with John Chan, Principal and Executive VP for the Durable Slate Company. John is a nationally recognized expert in historic roofing and a passionate advocate for preserving traditional roofing methods. He started slate, tile and copper roofing at The Durable Slate Company while on college summer breaks in 1986 and joined the company full-time in 1989 after graduating from UCLA. After working through the ranks in the field, he became a principal of the company in 1992. In 1996, he relocated to open the Cincinnati branch, then went on to open the New Orleans branch in 2006. During this time, he worked on over 10,000 slate and tile roofs all over the United States and Europe. John’s expertise in slate and cooper roofing has led to his role as a board member of the National Slate Association. He also served as the organization’s president from 2012-2018, tripling the typical term limit for the position. Over the years, his lectures and educational outreach have influenced best practices across the industry. Take a look at the Norwegian Embassy’s pre-patinated copper roof John mentions in the episode, and learn more about Durable Slate at https://www.durableslate.com/ Episode Links: International Federation of the Roofing Trade (IFD) https://ifd-roof.com/index.php/en/about/ National Slate Association (NSA) https://mobile.slateassociation.org/ National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) https://www.nrca.net/ The Slate Roofing Contractors Association of North America, Inc. (SRCA) https://www.slateroofers.org/ The Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) https://www.smacna.org/

We're sitting down with historian and author of the new book, Designing the American Century: The Public Landscapes of Clarke and Rapuano, 1915–1965, Thomas Campanella. Tune in as we talk about two unsung giants of American landscape and urban design.

Today we're on with Benjamin Prosky, president of the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation, working to advance education, innovation, and stewardship in the fields of historic preservation, decorative arts, and historic landscapes. Listen in as Ben covers his preservation journey and the resources the Foundation stewards.

Join us as we sit down with Olive Theodore, founder of Walrus Boat Recycling, a nonprofit project centered around saving and upcycling boats, and the capital campaign manager of the Center for Wooden Boats, aiming to connect each of us to Seattle's living maritime heritage of building, exploring, and using small boats through hands-on experiences. Listen in as we cover all things maritime!

On this special-release episode of PreserveCast, we're sitting down with Jack Gary from Colonial Williamsburg’s Department of Archaeology to discuss the opening of a "new" site at Colonial Williamsburg. Today, on Juneteenth, Colonial Williamsburg is opening a powerful chapter of American history, the Williamsburg Bray School, the nation’s oldest-known schoolhouse used to educate enslaved and free Black children. The site dramatically expands the narrative of Colonial Williamsburg, deepening how the museum tells the story of our country’s origins through the lens of race, education, faith, and community. The project also centers descendant voices, who are helping to shape how these stories are shared with the public. About Our Guest Jack leads all aspects of archaeological research within Colonial Williamsburg’s Department of Archaeology. He oversees a department of 30 professional archaeologists engaged in historical research, field excavation, laboratory analyses, and documentation of Colonial Williamsburg’s archaeological resources. He is an expert in the field of environmental and garden archaeology, community engaged approaches to archaeology, and material culture studies. The Foundation’s archaeological collection of over 60 million artifacts falls under Jack’s responsibility. More on the William Bray School: https://www.preservecast.org/2023/05/15/the-williamsburg-bray-school-with-dr-maureen-elgersman-lee/

In 2021 - 159 years after the first Juneteenth - the celebration became a federal holiday, changing the understanding of awareness of the holiday for millions of Americans. On this week’s PreserveCast, we’re talking with Dr. Dennis Doster, who runs the Black History Program for the Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation about what the designation means and how Juneteenth fits into the broader American story. Dennis A. Doster, Ph.D. is the director of the M-NCPPC Black History Program. Dr. Doster has close to 15 years of experience in the field of Public History. He has worked for the National Archives, the Johns Hopkins University, and the Alexandria Black History Museum. Additionally, he is an adjunct professor in African American Studies, History, and Women’s Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park and the University of Maryland, University College. Learn more at: https://www.pgparks.com/1378/Black-History

This week we're sitting down with Susan McMahon, Executive Director of the Landmark Trust USA, a nonprofit organization that preserves historic properties and makes them available as short-term vacation rentals. Susan has a background in community development and historic preservation. Historic preservation has always been a professional pursuit and a personal passion of hers.

On this week's PreserveCast we're joined by Kathryn Mayer, who built a searchable database of 19th-century coroner’s records with the Baltimore City Archives. We're chatting about her project and more about how to evaluate historic information.

Today we're joined by Marion Werkheiser and Will Cook from Cultural Heritage Partners, a law firm that works to leverage humanity’s past to create a better future. With policy, funding, and staffing issues in the current political climate, the firm is working to educate the community and advocate for cultural heritage and historic preservation so our places are protected. Join us as we talk Section 106, executive orders, and other legal matters affecting the preservation community. https://www.culturalheritagepartners.com/

We're excited to sit down with Cristiana Pena, a digital communications expert in the preservation world. Cristiana is the social media director at CIRCA, where she creates an online community of old house enthusiasts by featuring real estate listings of historic properties.

Today we're chatting with Amy Kehs, a brand strategist and communications expert for museums. She has owned Kehs Communications since 2000 and has worked for the most renowned and well-loved museums in the Washington, D.C. area. Her goal is to ensure that museums thrive in the next century and she hopes people will come to love museums as much as she does. She is the creator of the Love my Museum suite of services, free and affordable support for museum professionals, including the Love my Museum podcast. Learn more: https://www.lovemymuseum.com/

Today we're talking with Dr. Mary Anne Hunting and Dr. Kevin D. Murphy about their new book, Women Architects at Work: Making American Modernism, detailing the history of the women architects who left their enduring mark on American Modernism Dr. Mary Anne Hunting is an architectural historian and the author of Edward Durell Stone: Modernism’s Populist Architect. Dr. Kevin D. Murphy is the Andrew W. Mellon Chair in the Humanities and professor and chair in the Department of the History of Art and Architecture at Vanderbilt University. His books include Jonathan Fisher of Blue Hill, Maine: Commerce, Culture, and Community on the Eastern Frontier.

Today we're joined by Laura Zimmerman, Chair of the Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage, and Liz Shatto, Executive Director of the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area, about the history of the organization, this year's Washington County House and Garden Pilgrimage (Saturday, June 7th), and engaging the public around history and historic places. For more information and tickets: https://www.mhgp.org/washington-county

Today we're talking with Hank Levine is the President of the Bethesda (Maryland) Meeting House Foundation and the Secretary of the Bethesda Historical Society. He was a prime mover in the Foundation’s 2023 purchase of the Bethesda Meeting House site and leads its ongoing efforts to preserve/restore the site and turn it into an active community asset. He regularly leads walking tours of Bethesda and is a frequent speaker on the history of the community. Learn more: www.bethesdameetinghouse.org

Today we're talking with Jeffrey Ricketts, who, in July of 2022, took ownership of Mullen’s Folly in Calvert, Maryland. Mullen’s Folly is a log house located in northeastern Cecil County, Maryland. It was built possibly before 1789. It operated as a general store from 1789-1823 servicing the surrounding community with a wide variety of goods sourced in Philadelphia and Wilmington. After 1823, the building was converted into a house. From 1859-2022 the house was owned by four generations of the Berriker-FitzGerald family, until it was sold to Jeffrey, who is currently restoring the building to its late 18th-century appearance, and is rediscovering all of its lost history. Learn more: https://www.eastnottinghamantiques.com/about-6

Today we're talking with Dr. Cheryl Fogle-Hatch, founder of MuseumSenses LLC, a consulting firm that helps museums develop multi-sensory exhibits for everyone, regardless of their visual acuity. Creating exhibit content with tactile and audio components engages blind people with history, the arts, and sciences. Exposing sighted people to tactile and audio content creates an integrated experience for all visitors. Dr. Fogle-Hatch works with historic sites to improve their tactile experiences. Projects include: • The Please Touch tour at Macculloch Hall Historical Museum in Morristown New Jersey • Revolutionary Anthology: Power of Place exhibit at Fort Ticonderoga, New York • Making History Accessible: Toolkit for Multisensory Interpretation, a digital publication produced by the Intrepid Museum and the NYU Ability Project.

Russ Carnahan, Honorary President and Strategic Advisor for Preservation Action, joins us today to discuss National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week. Congressman Carnahan served 4 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the St. Louis, MO region. He held several leadership positions including the Chairmanship of the bi-partisan Historic Preservation Caucus and the High Performance Building Caucus that focused on strategies that included use of green building technologies and policies for historic and new buildings. Previously as a state legislator, he was a champion of Missouri’s nationally known State Historic Tax Credit that has successfully spurred saving and restoring countless historic properties. Congressman Carnahan is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Law and is a principal in the firm Carnahan Global Consulting.

Today we're going back in time, as we often do, speaking with Mark Sledziewski about his work as the Executive Director of the the National Capital Radio & Television Museum in Bowie, Maryland. The museum collects, preserves, and interprets artifacts, programming, and publications to educate the public about the development and impact of electronic media.

We're still feeling the love here at PreserveCast! Today we're talking with Trisha Tanner, Executive Director of the Alum Association at Mount Holyoke, about Esther Howland (Mount Holyoke class of 1847), known as the “mother of the American valentine.” At a time when most women didn't have the opportunity to be employed, let alone lead, Howland founded her card-making business and pioneered an entire industry.

Today we're chatting with Joe Redd, safety director at Durable Slate and Durable Restoration. We talk about preservation from many angles here on PreserveCast, but we've yet to cover safety! We're excited to have this important conversation with Joe on today's episode.

Danielle Keperling has worked in the restoration industry since 2001, but her education in the traditional trades, construction industry, and historical preservation was built from an early age through her father's work in the traditional trades and her mother's love of historic architecture. Danielle works to help historic building owners restore and preserve their piece of our built history.

Welcome to another episode of PreserveCast! Today we're talking with a previous guest, Erica Avrami PhD, to discuss her new book Second- Order Preservation Social Justice and Climate Action through Heritage Policy. Erica is the James Marston Fitch Associate Professor of Historic Preservation at Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation.

Today we're talking with Harrison Goodall Fellow Molly Baker. Molly also serves as HOPE Crew Manager in the Preservation Services and Outreach department at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Her focus is growing interest in the building preservation trades by engaging a younger, more diverse audience in hands-on preservation opportunities. Molly’s fellowship capstone project was to collect, analyze, and publish replicable models for preservation trades training. Nationwide there are examples of successful trades training programs at various levels: high school technical education courses, conservation corps training, apprenticeships, volunteer opportunities, and accredited community colleges. However, often a barrier to entering these programs is their location. Molly’s project produced a roadmap for smaller regions to create their own preservation trades training opportunities.

Join us for a conversation with Kate Wood, founder and principal at Worth Preserving where she works with owners, architects, trades and others to rescue, rehabilitate and reimagine residential properties. With expertise on character-defining features we explore what’s “worth preserving.”

Today we're thrilled to be joined by A.O. Scott, who, by day, serves as a critic at large for The New York Times Book Review. He's with us today to discuss his contributions to Beyond Architecture: The New New York, which commemorates the sixtieth anniversary of the passage of the New York City Landmarks Law. The 1965 law established the Landmarks Preservation Commission and initiated the era of historic preservation in New York City, the largest city in the United States. The book can be purchased here: https://www.nyrb.com/products/beyond-architecture-the-new-new-york

Today we're talking with Naomi Peach, project officer at Kiplin Hall and Gardens in North Yorkshire, the historic home of George Calvert 1st Baron Baltimore. Naomi is working on the Interpreting Kiplin for 400 Project, celebrating 400 years since the building of Kiplin Hall. The project seeks to engage with local community groups and previously under-represented audiences to create engaging and relevant interpretation for the museum and grounds.

Today we're talking with Stephanie Compton, a passionate zero-waste advocate, founder of Leave No Waste, and an advisor to policy makers. We'll discuss how her work relates to historic preservation, policy, and the deconstruction movement.

We're again connecting with New England-based hand poke tattoo artist Owen McGrarry, who will be at Sailabration: Sailing Traditions in Ink - a festival celebrating the lives of sailors and the art of tattooing - on October 26th in Baltimore. Before the electric tattoo machine was invented in 1891 by a former sailor, tattoo artists used a simple poke and stick technique. Aboard ship, sailors often used the materials they had on hand, such as large needles for sewing sails, India ink, laundry bluing, and even gunpowder. Owen Payette McGarry is a traditional hand poke tattoo artist based in Boston, Massachusetts. He came to tattooing in 2014 through his interest in maritime folk art, while working as a boat builder. Owen's previous episode: https://www.preservecast.org/2023/02/20/stick-poke-tattooing-with-owen-mcgarry/

Sara Bronin has spent her career exploring, researching, and publishing on the intersection of law, policy, and preservation. Today, as the preservation community grapples with the challenges of equity, climate and inclusionary zoning – Sara’s research and expertise is filling an important role. Bronin was nominated by the Biden administration and now serves as chair of the U.S. Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) shaping preservation policy. Sara and I connected via Twitter following her appointment by President Biden to chair the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation – and with her long list of credentials, publications and keen awareness of equitable land use planning, I felt she’d make an ideal guest as our field grapples with these heavy but important issues when it comes to saving historic places.

Today we're sitting down with Renée Hamidi, executive director of Valleys Planning Council, a nonprofit that works to protect land and resources, preserve historic character, and maintain the rural feel of 130 square miles of northwestern Baltimore County, Maryland. We'll cover a bit about the work of Valleys Planning Council, and a current issue, the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, that would put irreplaceable heritage sites and thousands of acres of public-and-private conserved lands at risk.

Historical archaeologist Dr. Eleanor Breen currently directs the renowned public archaeology program and museum that preserves and interprets the buried history of the City of Alexandria, Virginia. She joins us along with return guest Scott Vierick, who serves on the Alexandria Archaeological Commission. Together they'll discuss the work of connecting Alexandrians with the Port City’s past.

On this week’s PreserveCast, we’re setting a course for the Chesapeake Bay with first-generation Maryland crabber Luke McFadden. Luke’s story is anything but typical – from beginning crabbing at age 12 to developing a social media following to help build a brand – but his atypical approach to crabbing might just be what the industry needs at this challenging moment. We’re talking with Luke about the beautiful swimmers, maintaining crab boats, and how his can-do approach may just help sustain Maryland’s iconic watermen heritage.

Today’s episode of PreserveCast returns to the United Kingdom to open a conversation with Colin and Dan Richards of CJR Heritage, a company that has spanned continents and worked with princes to save priceless heritage. From Transylvania to the Great Wall of China, we’re talking with two of England’s most accomplished tradespeople about the future of historic trades.

Today we're talking with Vedet Coleman-Robinson, Ph.D., who serves as the president and CEO of the Association of African American Museums (AAAM), an organization bringing stories of civil rights and social injustice to the forefront, chronicling the strides that have been made, and emphasizing inequalities that still exist today. AAAM is hosting its 46th Annual Conference in Baltimore August 13-16. Learn more: AAAM Website: Association of African American Museums – The official web site of Association of African American Museums. (blackmuseums.org) Conference registration: AAAM 2024 Conference Registration – Association of African American Museums (blackmuseums.org)

Continuing with the Smart Growth theme from last episode, today we're chatting with Maria Tova Enriquez Dougherty from HDAdvisors about urban planning, policy, affordable housing, and the Virginia Zoning Atlas. As always, we'll cover the connection to history and preservation and the real world impact of this work. Maria is involved on a variety of projects, including providing policy research and programmatic development for HousingForward Virginia and the Virginia Statewide Community Land Trust (VSCLT) and affordable housing real estate development. As referenced in this episode: www.HousingForwardVA.org https://www.zoningatlas.org https://www.hdadvisors.net/

Today we're talking with Preservation Maryland's Revitalization Policy Analyst Briana Paxton about the intersection of historic preservation and smart growth, zoning, barriers to infill, and what preservationists can do to incentivize smart development.

Today we're talking with Rachel Robinson Vice President, Preservation at Historic Annapolis, a non-profit organization in the historic capital of Maryland. Rachel takes us through her journey to a career in preservation and the organization's current projects.

The history of entertainment is a unique and compelling thread in America’s story – one that today’s guest has dedicated his life to studying, collecting, and interpreting. Ryan Lintelman is the Entertainment Curator at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and is putting the finishing touches on a massive new exhibit exploring this aspect of American history. Click your Ruby slippers three times, because we’re not in Kansas anymore on this week’s episode of PreserveCast. Ryan Lintelman specializes in the history of entertainment as a curator in the division of culture and the arts at the National Museum of American History. He studies and cares for the museum’s collections of historical objects related to theater, television and film, including the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, Phyllis Diller’s joke file, and Jim Henson’s Muppets. Learn more: https://americanhistory.si.edu/profile/1176 Entertainment Nation: https://americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions/entertainment-nation

We're excited to (finally!) sit down with C&O Canal Trust's President & CEO Lauren Riviello to talk about the C&O Canal, unique ways to activate historic resources, and the innovative Canal Quarters program. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park preserves and interprets the historical, natural, and recreational resources of the C&O Canal and has more than 5 million visitors annually. Lauren joined the C&O Canal Trust in February 2021, serving as Director of Development prior to becoming President & CEO in April 2023. During her tenure leading the Trust’s development team, the organization steadily enhanced its fundraising efforts, growing critical support for conservation, education, and preservation efforts in the C&O Canal National Historical Park. A native of Shepherdstown, WV, she grew up exploring the C&O Canal at Lock 38.

Pretzels. Few words are as synonymous with snacking – and they are ubiquitous on tables across the nation, no matter the region. Today’s guest, Tim Snyder, leads one of America’s oldest pretzel brands – where the history of the twisted treat is almost equally as important as the taste. Connecting food and history is a theme this year on PreserveCast, and this is a great place to start with an icon in the food industry. As a part of our historic foods series – where we’re diving into preserving some of the most iconic foods and brands, we sat down with Tim Snyder, President of the Julius Sturgis Pretzel company, America’s oldest pretzel bakery, based in historic Lititz, Pennsylvania to talk about preserving the history and charting the future of one of America’s favorite snacks. More About Our Guest Since 2006, Tim Snynder has been the President and majority owner of the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, based in historic Lititz, Pennsylvania. A former educator, Tim has worked in the food industry for the past four decades representing and selling iconic brands across the region. Tim has also served Lititz on the Town Council from 1998 to 2005 and as Mayor since 2012. Learn more at: https://juliussturgis.com/