What is a Midcentury Modern preservation group, and what do they do? Mid mod preservation groups are dedicated to preventing the loss of retro homes, buildings and landmarks. They educate communities, raise awareness of historical significance, rescue buildings from redevelopment and disrepair, act as resources to homeowners and so much more.
In this series (be sure to catch the first post here), I will be highlighting preservation groups across the United States one region at a time. While the vast number of groups working to save our midcentury history doesn’t permit this to be an entirely comprehensive list, I hope that these roundups help you to find a local group or inspire you to partner with one in your neighborhood.
This week’s region: Midwest
Indiana Landmarks: While not specific to midcentury modern, this Midwest preservation group has created a special “Indiana Modern” committee and some incredible projects in the works—such as the House of Tomorrow and the Peters-Margedant House.
Ohio Modern: With a tagline of “Preserving our Recent Past,” Ohio is on a mission we can all appreciate. Seemingly a subdivision of Ohio History Connection, the site is an excellent resource for locals. The group used a Preserve America grant from the National Parks Service to create a survey report of the area’s midcentury architecture.
Modern STL: Their mission statement says it all. “Modern STL strives for the identification, education, preservation and celebration of St. Louis modernism.” To this end, the group keeps an active blog, hosts events, offers a glossary of information on mid mod architects, lists retro homes on the market, offers self-guided tours and so much more.
Lawrence Modern: Thanks to its proximity to The University of Kansas, the town of Lawrence benefited greatly from the architecture department (led by George Beal, a friend of Frank Lloyd Wright). The site offers a history of the local influencers and the group organizes educational events.
