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Showing posts with label Historic Buildings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Historic Buildings. Show all posts

1/26/20

The Fredericksburg Texas Historic District

The district area coincides with the original platting of the town by Herman Wilke, with the streets are laid out in a wide grid. The district encompasses 367 contributing buildings and 191 non-contributing buildings. Many of the buildings in the historic district have been designated either a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, and/or added to the National Register of Historic Places listings in Texas.
Located in the Texas Hill Country, Fredericksburg is one of the earliest Germanic settlements in the state. The district encompasses 40 blocks of historic buildings dating from the mid-19th century. The buildings are made of stone and fachwerk, a traditional German building technique consisting of heavy timber framing and diagonal bracing, with an infill of limestone. The town was founded by an association of German noblemen, the Adelsverein, that brought 7,000 German immigrants to Texas. 
By the turn-of-the-century, Fredericksburg began to look like many other American towns with residences reflecting popular American architectural styles ranging from the Queen Anne and the Colonial Revival to Bungalows and Four-Squares.

The Architectural Structures of Fredericksburg are often unique to the Texas Hill Country

The Vereins Kirche, or Peoples Church, was designed by Friedrich Armand Strubberg; it became the first public building in Fredericksburg in 1847. It served as a non-denominational church, school, town hall and fort. Pupils learned their lessons in their own German language. The building models a style known as Carolingian architecture, similar to the Aachen Cathedral. Each side of the octagon was 18 feet (5.5 m) wide by 18 feet (5.5 m) high, with each side having a10 foot roof (3.0 m) high, topped by a 7 foot (2.1 m) high octagonal cupola.



The Sunday Houses are unique to the German immigrant culture of the Texas Hill Country. In reverse of the old European tradition of living in town while working the rural farms, the early Fredericksburg German settlers made their main homes on the acreage they worked. On their town lots, they erected Sunday Houses for overnight stays on their weekly travels into town for supplies and church attendance. Older generations would use the houses as a retirement house, as the younger generations inherited the acreage and the work. These houses were often made of limestone rock coated with whitewash inside and out. Depending on the individual family's need, these relatively small 2-story houses were designed for limited stays, with one or two ground floor rooms and an upper loft for sleeping. Standard design was a fireplace and a porch. Often there was an outside staircase leading to the loft.
Many of these homes have been restored with some used as Bed and Breakfast retreats


The White Elephant Saloon is famous for its elephant relief parapet and rich iron cresting. The native limestone building was constructed in 1888 by John W. Kleck. Originally part of a chain of gentleman's resorts, the building was operated as a saloon until Prohibition.

The Richardsonian Romanesque style bank building was designed in 1889 by architect Alfred Giles who also designed two other structures in Fredericksburg, the old courthouse now known as the Fredericksburg Memorial Library, and the William Bierschwale house on Bowie Street. A fourth design by Giles is the 1893 Morris Ranch Schoolhouse at Morris Ranch in Gillespie County.

8/24/19

Cape Girardeau Missouri


river trade steamboats trading posts bridges murals and historic sites
Cape Girardeau is named after Jean Baptiste de Girardot, who established a trading post in the area around 1733. As early as 1765, a bend in the Mississippi River, had been referred to as Cape Girardot or Girardeau.  In 1799, American settlers founded the first English school west of the Mississippi at a landmark called Mount Tabor, named by the settlers for the Biblical Mount Tabor.
The River Trade and Steamboats stimulated the Development of Cape Girardeau
City Landmarks in 1928, a bridge was completed between Missouri and Illinois replacing ferries to cross the Mississippi River. In 2003, the Old Bridge was succeeded by a new four-lane cable-stay bridge named the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge; the two towers of the bridge reach a height of approximately 91 meters The Old Federal Courthouse, located at Broadway and Fountain Streets and built in the late 1940s, The City of Cape Girardeau was recognized in 2008 as a Preserve America Community for its work in surveying and protecting historic buildings.; it is home to 39 historic sites and eight historic districts, including the Downtown Commercial District.
The Mississippi River Tales is a mural containing 24 panels covering nearly 18,000 square feet (1,700 m2) of the 15-foot (4.6 m)-high downtown floodwall; they illustrate the local history beginning with the Native Americans who inhabited the area between 900 and 1200; each panel tells a story. The paintings are reminiscent of the works by Thomas Hart Benton; they were painted by Chicago artist Thomas Melvin in collaboration with several local artists.

8/20/19

Des Moines Iowa


pre-historic native Americans skyscrapers skywalks museums and botanical gardens
Des Moines traces its origins to May 1843 with the construction of a fort on the site where the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers merge. The fort was built to control the Sauk and Meskwaki Indians, whom the government had moved to the area from their traditional lands in eastern Iowa.
Native American Tribes did not fare well as the illegal whiskey trade and the destruction of traditional life led to severe problems for their society. At least three Late Prehistoric villages, dating from about AD 1300 to 1700, stood in or near what developed later as downtown Des Moines. In addition, 15 to 18 prehistoric American Indian mounds were observed in this area by early settlers. All have been destroyed during development of the city.
Archaeological Excavations have shown many fort-related structures; soldiers stationed at Fort Des Moines opened the first coal mines in the area, mining coal from the riverbank for the fort's blacksmith.
Present Day Des Moines changed from the 1970s to the1990s, as several new skyscrapers were built. In the 21st century, the city has had more major construction in the downtown area. The Principal Riverwalk features trails, pedestrian bridges across the river, a fountain and skating plaza, and a civic garden in front of the City Hall. Existing downtown buildings were converted to loft apartments.




A Cultural Center with Several Art and History Museums as well as Performing Arts Groups
The Metro Opera House has been a cultural resource in Des Moines since 1973. The Opera offers educational and outreach programs and is one of the largest performing arts organizations in the state. 
The Des Moines Art Center presents art exhibitions and educational programs as well as studio art classes. The Center houses a collection from the 19th century to the present. An extension of the art center is downtown in an urban museum space, featuring several exhibitions a year.



The Pappajohn Sculpture Park is a collection of 24 Sculptures
The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden is an indoor conservatory of over 15,000 exotic plants. Developed by the city's Asian community, the Gardens include a three-story Chinese pavilion, bonsai landscaping, and granite sculptures that highlight the importance of diversity and recognize Asian American contributions in Iowa.
The East Village begins at the river and extends about five blocks east to the State Capitol Building, offering a blend of historic buildings, eateries, boutiques, art galleries, and a wide variety of retail establishments and residences.
Transportation Des Moines has an extensive skywalk system within its downtown core. With over four miles of enclosed walkway, it is one of the largest of such systems in the United States. The public transit system consists entirely of buses, including regular in-city routes and express and commuter buses to outlying suburban areas.

5/16/19

Destination Vermont


Agriculture and Industry Heritage Museums Historic Sites Small Towns and Downtowns
Agriculture and Food Heritage experience Vermont’s thriving food and arts scene, local cuisine from artisan chefs, creative food companies, and passionate farmers thriving alongside artists sharing their arts and crafts.

Museums tell the story of Vermont’s heritage, arts and crafts. Early Vermonters were hardworking and industrious; museums of agriculture and industry tell the stories of how natural resources were employed to help provide for families and build Vermont: the American Precision Museum in Windsor, the Billings Farm in Woodstock, the New England Maple in Pittsford, the Vermont Granite in Barre and the Vermont Marble Museum in Proctor.
Learn the Stories of Shipwrecks the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Vergennes
Downtowns and Small Towns Vermont's thriving downtowns are where visitors and residents find the distinctive local businesses, historic buildings, and rich cultural and social activities that form Vermont's special sense of community. These authentic and attractive downtowns and villages are recognized as a key part of the state’s allure.
Vermont Downtowns are a Centerpiece of Community Life
The Downtown Program, established in 1994, is a revitalization effort that builds on each community’s history; these local efforts have demonstrated how revitalization encourages the local economy and cultural institutions, while supporting growth in a way that minimizes environmental impacts.
Waterbury is a vibrant community in the Green Mountains, encompassing Waterbury Village, Colbyville and Waterbury Center.  A 20-minute drive from Montpelier, 30 minutes from Burlington, and midway between the resort areas of Stowe and the Mad River Valley, Waterbury sits at the intersection of three of Vermont’s most heavily traveled and scenic roads. Downtown is home to a colorful mix of residential neighborhoods, civic and cultural facilities, independent small businesses and the Ben & Jerry Factory. 
Newport lies on the southern shore of Lake Memphremagog just a few miles south of the Quebec border. Visitors can pursue year-round outdoor adventures, including boating, swimming, hiking, biking, fishing, skiing, and snowmobiling.
Newport eateries source local foods and turn them into award winning dishes
Burlington and its walkable waterfront are home to a thriving arts scene, creative entrepreneurship, great shopping, three colleges and a university, and a full range of four-season outdoor pursuits. Fountains, a brick-paved pedestrian mall, and historic buildings ranging in style from Victorian to Art Deco and Streamline Modern provide the backdrop for the Church Street Marketplace. The nearby waterfront includes lakeside parks, ferry crossings, excursion boats, and a 12.5-mile walk and bike path that connects to the Lake Champlain Islands and its 200 miles of shorelines.
one of the best 100 small arts towns in America
Montpelier is the largest urban historic district in Vermont. Of the exquisite historic buildings, the crown jewel is the impeccably restored State House, one of the oldest and best preserved in the country. Three blocks away is the city’s bustling business district where independently owned shops offering books, recordings, clothing, fine crafts and pastries. 



 Your Destination Vermont Travel Plan
tema@arezza.net   skype arezza1   https://arezza.org

1/04/18

Environment Friendly Travel Itineraries



Environment Family Friendly Vacation Destinations Study and Training Tours

Experience Local capabilities in destination management, tourism services and environment related projects that focus on water conservation, transportation and energy efficiency across the United States.


a network of small town main streets and historic districts


Museums Theaters and other Historic Buildings located on Main Street and in Historic Districts are repositories of a community’s values and traditions. Local Projects integrate architecture with digital media and engages visitors through interaction with local citizens. Environmental Projects are also community attractors as domestic and international business and government visitors will come to study, learn and acquire knowledge and expertise in these fields.

Study and Training Tours






tema@arezza.net  skype arezza1  arezza.org


Environment and Family Friendly Vacation Itineraries