Moravian Preservation Master Plan.indb - Society for College and ...

Moravian College • Preservation Master Plan
currently located on the North Main Street
Campus, is significant as the first institution to
train Moravian clergy outside of Europe. Over the
past 150 years, both the men’s and women’s schools
were part of nationwide trends in secondary and
higher education, including the development of
standard high school and college curricula; the
embrace of liberal arts; campus planning and
architectural characteristics; and the movement
toward coeducation following World War II.
Historic Preservation
Moravian College was an early partner in
attempts to revitalize and preserve the core of
downtown Bethlehem during the 1950s, and
participated in a lengthy process to restore its
Church Street buildings through the 1970s. The
position of the campuses as anchors at both ends
of the commercial district assists the ongoing
redevelopment. Moravian College’s efforts have
had a major impact on the success of downtown
Bethlehem as a destination for both local citizens
and visitors. Busy shops, restaurants, and other
businesses share the cityscape with historical and
cultural landmarks and commemorative signs, and
traditional Moravian stars are a common symbol
throughout the downtown. The College’s restored
buildings with their candle-lit windows form a
centerpiece for images of historic Bethlehem and a
quaint inspiration for “the Christmas City.”
Archeology
The early core of Bethlehem has already been
investigated in several archeological digs, but the
potential exists for many other subsurface features
and evidence of historic and prehistoric human
occupation of this site. The recent uncovering of
multiple eighteenth-century storage cellars in the
bluff of the Priscilla Payne Hurd Campus vividly
illustrates this potential and the high significance
of such sites. There is no doubt that additional
significant sites also exist on both campuses that
are likely to yield important information about the
region’s history and prehistory.
Integrity
Integrity is the authenticity of a resource’s historic
identity, evidenced by the survival of physical
characteristics that existed during the property’s
period of significance. The seven qualities of
integrity, as defined by the National Register,
are location, setting, feeling, association, design,
workmanship, and materials (U. S. Department of
the Interior 1990:4). Integrity measures the degree
to which the historically significant materials,
features, and characteristics of a resource still exist.
Integrity is frequently assessed by how much of a
resource’s historic fabric is intact. Historic building
fabric includes features (such as porches, windows,
stairways, and trim), and materials (such as wood,
stone, and plaster). Historic features and materials
are also present in the historic landscape, for
example spatial organization, land use, circulation,
vegetation, views and vistas, and built features.
Authentic building and landscape features and
historic fabric that survive can make the historic
significance of a resource visible.
When a resource retains most of its authentic historic
fabric, the integrity of the resource is generally
considered high. When there is little historic fabric
remaining, integrity is generally considered low.
Preservation efforts frequently focus on preserving
the integrity of a resource by preserving historic
fabric. Retaining the integrity of a resource is of
paramount importance in preservation. Historic
significance of a building or resource accrues over
time. Changes and additions that have occurred are
frequently considered to be historically significant.
Many historic buildings, for example, incorporate a
mixture of stylistic elements that have been added
to an original structure over many years. These
additions and alterations are a part of the evolution
of the building. They contribute to its story and
significance and therefore also contribute to its
integrity.
Existing Conditions
Existing conditions evaluations deal with a
resource’s physical condition, appearance, and
soundness. These conditions are inextricably linked
to maintenance. Inappropriate maintenance or lack
of maintenance often leads to a loss of historic fabric
and integrity, while appropriate maintenance retains
and repairs historic fabric and supports integrity. In
an existing conditions assessment, each resource or
character area is broken down into elements based
on materials, characteristics, or feature type, and
each element is briefly described and evaluated. The
overall significance and integrity of the resource is
also assessed. This lays the groundwork for making
recommendations on how best to treat problems
and preserve important features of the resource.
The documentation of existing conditions establishes
a basis for comparison during future projects and
John Milner Associates • October 2009 • Chapter 4 • Stewardship • 56