Modernism + Recent Past Resource Guide
Survey and Designation Efforts
As interest in resources from the recent past and the Modern design movement grows, so do efforts to document this important part of our national heritage. Many communities and organizations across the country are surveying their mid-century properties, sites, and landscapes to determine their eligibility for local landmark designation or listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
Resources for Modern Homeowners
Modernism is not limited only to architect-designed homes and iconic buildings. Hundreds of thousands of small-scale vernacular house were constructed in new subdivisions and suburbs across the country in the period following World War II, ranging from the simple Cape Cod-inspired homes to the ubiquitous "Ranch" house in all its forms. Many of these homes are nearing, or have passed, fifty years of age. As a result homeowners sometimes find themselves struggling with issues of maintenance and repair for homes with innovative materials, or unusual styles and details.
Resources for Repair of Post-war Housing
One of the most challenging tasks for homeowners of post-war residences is locating appropriate materials for repair or replacement in their homes. With considerable assistance from the Architectural Services Division of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, we have compiled a list of potential products and services that can be used to repair, replace, or replicate original features in post-war residential properties.
Nationwide Modernist Resources from the Glass House
A list of organizations, communities, and resources the Glass House has idenitfied as possible collaborators in order to strengthen our collective mission, related tactics, and impact on the preservation of the Modern.
Lustron Preservation
The Lustron House was an innovative solution to the post-WWII housing crisis. Many thought the porcelain enamel clad wonder would be the General Motors of the housing industry. Production began in 1948, but by 1950 production problems and a corruption scandal brought it to a halt. The factory was closed and the equipment sold or scrapped. All in all, only about 2,680 of these unique homes were built. Sadly, it is estimated that only 1,500 of these unique homes survive today. Each year, dozens more are lost to demolition, neglect, and unsympathetic changes and alterations.
Lustron Preservation is an initiative of the Midwest Office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. This website was developed under a grant from the National Park Service and the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the National Park Service or the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training.
Modernism + the Recent Past in Preservation Magazine
Articles from Preservation magazine and Today's News on Modernism + the Recent Past.
