Can/should the crowd help determine historic places in a city? The City of Los Angeles’ Office of Historic Resources is embarking on a Getty funded project called Survey LA:
a citywide survey to identify and document historic resources representing significant themes in the city’s history. While Los Angeles has over 900 Historic-Cultural Monuments (local landmarks) and 24 Historic Preservation Overlay Zones (Historic Districts), to date only 15% of the city has been surveyed.
The initiative claims to be including broad community input. But the actual mechanisim for getting involved seems unnecessarily hazy. They are asking the community to participate in a pilot survey, but wouldn’t it make more sense to encourage citizens to create Google Map mashups where “the crowd” can submit candidates for “historic place” designation?
I wonder if any other cities have tried this approach?
Comments 1
Alexander Daley — April 10, 2009
The google maps idea is a good one. I think that with a broad survey, you will find people who want a landmark preserved for genuine historical reasons; you will find those who want a "place" preserved for sentimental value. A google maps approach would allow the City to do a computer-generated map overlay; which, in theory, would allow them to see what landmarks people agree on the most. Then it becomes a mathematical venture from there. People conclude that cite A is more valuable than cite B; therefore, cite A gets the "historical place designation". The survey, in my opinion, will be a pointless exercise because the results will be clouded by emotion and self-interest. My fear is that a number of sentimental Neanderthals will think the local Carl's Jr. should be preserved because its the place where they...I don't know...asked their wives to marry them. Bad example, but you get the idea. History and mathematics will be mute in the face of a broad emotionally driven survey.