I often find that folks can be confused by common historic preservation terminology as we tend to use the same 6 words over and over again, only arranged differently to mean different things. I have seen for instance, National Historic Landmarks and National Register of Historic Places used interchangably, but there is a very big difference. Whereas the National Register of Historic Places recognizes local significance and there are literally hundreds of thousands of buldings so listed, a National Historic Landmark denotes a building/site/structure of truly national significance and is reserved for the most important buildings. LIke the Capital Building in Washington, DC, or the Alamo. That's why the announcement of 14 new National Landmarks is a big deal and has roused me from blog lethargy.
I was particularly taken by the designation of the Olson Farmhouse, depicted here in this 1948 Andrew Wyeth painting entitled "Christina's World". A major American work by a major American artist, the house in the painting exists in Cushing, Maine and is depicted in other Wyeth works. Andrew Wyeth is even buried on the grounds. A fitting tribute.
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