The Once and Future New York: Historical Preservation and the Modern City (original) (raw)

Randall Mason's 'The Once and Future New York' scrutinizes the historical preservation movement in New York City, challenging the notion that preservation efforts are driven solely by an unchanging moral ethos. The author suggests that preservationists have been historically unaware of their field's evolution, preferring to view their work as a response to unregulated urban development. By exploring the origins of modern preservation in the early 20th century, Mason contributes to a broader reassessment of preservationist historiography and highlights the need to consider the intersections of race, politics, and urban planning.