Judith Kenny is a retired professor of Geography and Urban Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Living New Deal Research Associate, now based in Portland, Oregon. She is also a member of Portland’s Architectural Heritage Center (AHC) Education Committee, and on March 5th will present on “The New Deal’s Local Legacy: Pioneering Historic Preservation and a Landscape Aesthetic.” From the AHC:
“Timberline Lodge provides lasting evidence that beauty could result from the country’s greatest economic crisis. While Timberline is the best known of the Depression era’s Oregon projects, further examination of the New Deal’s long list of agencies produces impressive evidence of a legacy in our midst. The roots of historic preservation in our region started with HABS (Historic American Buildings Survey) and WPA (Works Progress Administration) construction projects not only helped provide jobs to the unemployed, they cemented the concept of a regional landscape aesthetic such as that found in the Rocky Butte Scenic Drive and amenities of Overlook Park.
“Considering the contributions of famous architects, such as Ellis F. Lawrence and Jamieson Parker, and lesser-known local artisans, Judith Kenny will explore the New Deal projects in the Portland area that contributed to the preservation of our pioneer architectural heritage and the development of a regional landscape style.” For more information, visit the AHC website.