Women’s History Month ~ “Little Old Ladies in Tennis Shoes.” Women have played an outsized role in the development of a historic preservation movement in the United States, from its mid-19th century beginnings until today.
The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, formed in 1853 to save George Washington’s home, was the country’s first preservation organization. By the 1960s, preservation groups led by women existed across the nation and were involved in hundreds of battles to preserve historic buildings annually. They were disparagingly referred to as “little old ladies in tennis shoes” by the developers and city officials who wanted to demolish the buildings they were fighting for.
This photo, courtesy of Greater Portland Landmarks, shows a group of women protesters in Portland, Maine, on the day an 1857 Italianates style mansion was torn down in 1988. Seven people were arrested for their interference in the demolition.
The outcry against its destruction led to the passage of a historic preservation ordinance two years later. At right in the photo is Deb Andrews, director of Greater Portland Landmarks at the time, who went on to manage the City’s historic preservation program for 33 years.
Let’s thank all the “Little Old Ladies in Tennis Shoes” for their leadership and energy in the preservation movement!
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