It is a bummer when History is torn down to be replaced by one more development of housing which is probably still not going to relieve the shortage of affordable housing -- but in many communities concerned citizens have grouped and managed to pull together something that preserves the Old Downtown or at least to gather together artifacts and portraits and set up a "walking exhibit" where you tour the hall and have a speaker you can "button" and hear someone "from the past" speak about something in their life, related to the portrait or artifact ... been to several around the country. In San Jose a number of buildings were rescued and placed in a park and refurbished to some extent and the park became a tour with guides. Of this sort of preservation, WIlliamsburg is the prime example of what can be accomplished over time. And if I recall correctly, so was the Alamo? Sometimes there's an old Army fort that is secured and refurbished and gives us a glimpse of the Past.
In the Central Valley, California, "hot" and "dry" and a cold wind up your back even if you are standing in the sunny area ...think the humidity is responsible for the "chill" ... for the most part we're free of the hazards other areas in the United States deal with such as tornadoes / hurricane / typhoon / cyclone / monsoon, tsunami, ...
Earthquakes, yes. Range and forest fires, yes. Farther north in California, no one even admitted there were tornadoes until 2007. Floods and mud slides, yes, although where I am is the "flatlands" so unless the city's trees catch fire or the range around us burns, earthquakes are about the only hazard we face. Had enough of floods in my own life and don't fancy another one. The last one here was pre-1990's and the water district has been active and done well so that flooding even in many intersections has been much less of a problem, in the 2010's (which now I think on it, is soon to be the 2020's !!)
I suspect more and more people are going to ride that "2020" as a Visions of the Past, Visions of the Future themes in preservation, conservation, and History ... of course this last few years have seen a number of statues removed and hidden away ... so destruction of a Past, a History, however bloody it might have been, or benign is not "new" ... whole towns or at least villages have disappeared and we all know about cemeteries that vanish ... courthouses are destroyed and with them the records they had ...
Here in my town, downtown, is a Historic (1890's) house with furnishing and you should SEE the kitchen. Oh, my and a string words I won't write out here, but oh, my ... broke my heart to see it and I could just imagine myself there and coping (hopefully) ... the house does have a discreet elevator (lift) that can go to the next floors up for the less physically abled.
It requires a dedicated group of citizens with some moxey to put together and build a History exhibit, if nothing more in a wing of some public building ... and funding. And if you see a donor can or are canvassed, check it out and contribute if you can, if nothing more than artifacts, pictures, portraits, or time and labor ...
