Tagged: preservation

Chuckwalla: Some of U.S.'s Oldest Land Becomes Newest National Monument in California

In 1906, the United States Congress passed the Antiquities Act to help prevent the looting and destruction of tribal lands by greedy and careless people. That law is being invoked by…

Should the Eiffel Tower Olympic Rings Stay Up Permanently?

The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris had a lot of memorable moments. That cringey Australian breakdancer alone provided enough fodder for several highlight reels. But we've all moved on…

Florida Is Trying to Ram Development of State Parks, "Skirting the Legal Process"

Floridians are sounding a red alert after the state unexpectedly revealed its intent to allow rapid development at nine of Florida's nature reserves, sidestepping the usual process…

USA's Most Endangered Historic Places Now Include L.A.'s Little Tokyo and Concord, Mass., Revolutionary Sites

The site of the American Revolution's "shot heard round the world," the hometown of author Zora Neale Hurston, a lighthouse in the middle of the Hudson River, a long-standing Japanese…

Filmmaker Wes Anderson Designed a Real Train Car You Can Ride In

Film director Wes Anderson (pictured above) has redesigned a real-life, luxury train carriage and, honestly, what took him so long?  It's an environment—small, self-contained, elegant,…

We’re in Danger of Losing These Historic American Places

The islands in Boston Harbor, 19th-century railway tunnels in California's mountains, a Navajo trading post in Utah, and several important remnants of the Jim Crow era are among the…

Historic Queen Mary Is In Dire Straits As Operator Collapses

January 2021 kept people occupied with a few other news headlines, so you're forgiven if you missed this one: The company that operates the famous and irreplaceable Queen Mary filed…

“One Night in Miami” Puts Historic Black Hotel in Spotlight—and You Can Visit

The new film One Night in Miami, now streaming on Amazon Prime, depicts a 1964 meeting of four African American icons—boxer Cassius Clay (soon to rename himself Muhammad Ali), civil…

Camel Races, "Grass Mowing," Saunas, Singapore's Food Stalls, and More Get Heritage Status

Singapore's food stalls, Middle Eastern camel races, North African couscous, and Finland's saunas have all been officially recognized as invaluable expressions of humanity's…

Tourist Returns "Cursed" Artifacts She Stole from Pompeii

The Brady Bunch tried to warn you.  As the wholesome blended family learned in the sitcom's Hawaii episodes, you can't just grab any ancient artifact you find on vacation. The thing…

London's Iconic Red Boxes Reborn as Shops: Phone Booth Curry for Lunch?

October 5, 2020 The United Kingdom's emblematic red phone booths might be ubiquitous in tourist snapshots and on souvenirs, but in real life, the booths are endangered. In many cities,…

The Most Endangered Historic Sites in the United States

The church where Emmett Till's funeral was held, a Depression-era wellness spa, and an earthquake-rattled historic district in Puerto Rico are among the most endangered places of…

In Pompeii, An Ancient Brothel Reopens for Visitors

In the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, three residences that had been closed for years due to safety concerns are once again open to the public. The Italian Ministry of Cultural…

Famous Thai Beach to Remain Closed Two More Years—at Least

Thailand's Maya Bay, which played the titular locale in the 2000 Leonardo DiCaprio movie The Beach, is currently closed to tourists and will remain that way until at least…

Oldest Building on D.C.'s National Mall Reopens After Restoration

You've probably never heard of the Lockkeeper's House in Washington, D.C.There's a good reason for that. It's been closed for decades. But this unassuming stone building at the corner…

WW2 Tower Converted to Vacation Rental in Channel Islands

During World War II, the Nazis occupied the Channel Islands, a string of isolated spots floating between England and France. Using forced labor, the Germans built concrete…

Route 66 and Puerto Rico Among USA's Most Endangered Historic Sites

Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Route 66 all appear on 2018's "Most Endangered Places" list, the National Trust for Historic Preservation's annual roundup of important…

Upper Levels of Rome's Colosseum Reopening for Tours

The upper tiers of the Colosseum in Rome are reopening to the public for the first time in four decades. The renowned architectural marvel—which dates to the first century A.D. and is…

White Cliffs of Dover and Other Tourist Sites Facing Extinction

Scientists revealed this week that the famous White Cliffs of Dover in England are eroding at a rate of 12 inches per year—10 times faster than they were losing ground before…

Great Wall Repairs Spark Outrage

(Photo: CNN/Twitter) An effort to restore a 700-year-old portion of the Great Wall of China has sparked outrage on social media after photos of the project were posted…

Great Wall Repairs, Disney World Costume Rules, and More: Today's Travel Briefing

Good morning! Here's the latest from the world's theme parks, monuments, and other tourism meccas.* GREAT WALL OF CHINA REPAIRS SPARK OUTRAGE (Agence France Presse). An effort to…

Top 10 Holiday Air Travel Woes

The season of turkey, snow, and mistletoe is also the season of weather delays, gridlocked security checkpoints, and overbooked flights. Even the most experienced travelers won't be…

Park of the Week: Eugene O'Neill's Lonely Escape

Though he was born in New York City and roamed around to live in more than two dozen other places in his lifetime, Eugene O'Neill picked northern California as the place he wanted to…

The Able Traveler: Accessible Beaches for Everyone

Let's face it, wheelchairs and sand just don't mix. The same could be said of canes, walkers, and other assistive devices. And if you are a little unsteady on your feet or tire easily,…

Travel Writing 101: What is Good Travel Writing?

As I mentioned in part three of this series, Red Smith, a famed sportswriter a few decades back, said, "Writing is easy, you just sit down at the typewriter and open a vein." (For…