Preservation

Historic structures are lost one detail at a time.

The history of old buildings is told through their many uses, their occupants, their communities and their surroundings. Some retain much of their historical integrity and in others, history is gradually erased.

Historic Preservation has gradually taken root in this country and in recent years has become popular, though what it means to each person probably differs quite a bit. Challenges and dilemmas in preservation include how to bring back or retain historic character while taking into consideration the current use of the structure. The survival of historic structures over time depends in part on maintaining their unique qualities while making them structurally sound, functional and appealing within the current time period.

With those thoughts in mind, and keeping in mind the realistic constraints on the project, imposed by the limits of our pocketbooks… what do we hope to accomplish with the Guadalupe House Preservation Project?

Some Basic Tenets of Preservation: (Based on the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Preservation)

The historic character of a property will be retained and preserved.
Changes to a property that have acquired historic significance in their own right will be retained and preserved.
The preservation of distinctive materials, finishes and construction techniques that characterize the property will be preserved.
The existing condition will be evaluated to determine the level of intervention needed.

The Surrounding Community:

The Guadalupe House is situated a block from the Mesilla town plaza within the Historic Zone. The Town of Mesilla, through the efforts of many concerned residents over a period of many years, has worked to retain its historic character and cultural heritage. In the 1970’s a Comprehensive Preservation Plan was created to guide decision-making and to protect what remained of its historic structures. Preservation has taken root in our community, although the struggles to maintain our shared commitment to preservation, remains.

Preservation Goals for the Guadalupe House:

Evaluate the current condition of the property and repair damage using historically compatible materials and techniques. (The work toward this goal is currently underway.)
Provide on-going training in adobe preservation.
Record and preserve the history of the house. (The photographs and documents in this website reflect our initial efforts toward achieving this goal.)
Make the house on Guadalupe Street functional, beautiful and sustainable.

Resources:

Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Preservation – https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards.htm