The Grand Canyon, NYC’s South Street Seaport Counted Among the 11 Most Endangered Historic Sites in America

By Caroline Hallemann
June 25, 2015
Hunter Kerhart
This week, the National Trust for Historic Preservation revealed its annual list of America’s most endangered historic places. Designed to call attention to sites that are at risk of destruction or irreparable damage, this year’s ranking includes landmarks across the country, ranging in scale from the Grand Canyon to a small motel in Birmingham that was at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement.

Over the list’s 28-year lifetime, it’s included more than 250 notable locations, and to date only a handful of these historic places have been destroyed, thanks to the publicity the index brings.

“For more than a quarter century, our list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places has called attention to threatened one-of-a-kind treasures throughout the nation and galvanized local communities to help save them,” said Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation in a release.

“This year’s list is our most diverse ever, and reflects our commitment to recognizing and preserving all the facets of our diverse history. From the LGBTQ history of the Factory in California to the Cuban-American heritage of Miami’s Little Havana to the civil rights legacy of the A.G. Gaston Motel in Birmingham, these sites tell American stories that have been overlooked for too long. We hope this list inspires more Americans to join us in the ongoing effort to save the places that tell the full story of our nation.” 

Read on for the full list of at-risk sites, then head to preservationnation.org for more information.
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1 of 11

The Grand Canyon in Arizona

Alan English

The Grand Canyon is currently threatened by multiple development proposals, illustrating that even the most iconic national and natural landmarks are vulnerable.

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2 of 11

Little Havana in Miami, Florida

This Miami neighborhood, in itself a symbol of the American immigrant experience, is at risk due to zoning changes in the area and a lack of protection for historic spaces.

3 of 11

A.G. Gaston Motel in Birmingham, Alabama

City of Birmingham

Once a “war room” for leaders of the Civil Rights movement, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the motel now lies vacant and is badly decaying.

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4 of 11

Old U.S. Mint in San Francisco, California

The Old U.S. Mint was one of the few downtown buildings to survive San Francisco’s 1906 earthquake and fire, but now it’s at risk of destruction due to decades of neglect.

5 of 11

Chautauqua Amphitheater in Chautauqua, New York

Dick Jensen

Even with National Historic Landmark status, the “Amp” is at risk of demolition by the Chautauqua Institution.

6 of 11

East Point Historic Civic Block in East Point, Georgia

Halston Pitman

A rare example of cohesive civic architecture in Georgia, East Point City Hall, City Auditorium, City Library, and Victory Park are unfortunately suffering from “demolition by neglect.”

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7 of 11

Fort Worth Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas

John Roberts

A major tourist attraction, the historic district explores Fort Worth’s emergence as a center of the American livestock industry. It is currently endangered by a redevelopment project.

8 of 11

South Street Seaport in New York City

Library of Congress

New York City’s South Street Seaport features some of the oldest architecture in the city, but several new development proposals threaten to alter the historic neighborhood.

9 of 11

Carrollton Courthouse in New Orleans, Louisiana

Louisiana Landmarks Society

One of the city’s most significant landmarks outside of the French Quarter, the courthouse served Jefferson Parrish until the City of Carrollton was annexed by New Orleans in 1874. During the 1960s, the site housed Benjamin Franklin High School, the first New Orleans public high school to integrate. The space is now vacant and for sale, without historic preservation status.

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10 of 11

Oak Flat in Superior, Arizona

Kevin Cassadore

Because of a land exchange provision in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015, Oak Flat, a sacred Native American site for several tribes, could be opened up for mining.

11 of 11

The Factory in West Hollywood, California

Hunter Kerhart

The historic 1929 site was used as a disco called Studio One during the 1970s, hosting celebrity performances and serving as a site for AIDS activism.

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