For the second straight year, Preservation Oklahoma named Route 66 motels on its list of the 15 Most Endangered Historic Places, reports the Daily Oklahoman.
The list is just a sample of thousands of landmarks across the state in desperate need of attention and protection, Preservation Oklahoma spokesman Mark Beutler said in a prepared statement.
While the list does not ensure the protection of a site or guarantee funding, the designation has been a positive tool for raising awareness and rallying resources to save endangered places, he said. “It is important for Oklahomans to understand that preserving historic architecture is not a mere exercise in appreciation or nostalgia for ‘old things,’” said John Feaver, the preservation group’s president.
“It is, rather, a powerful development tool for promoting sustainable communities and economies and for controlling the rising costs and environmental disruptions or urban sprawl,” Feaver said.
Here’s the list last year of the endangered Route 66 motels of Oklahoma.
Route 66 motels were placed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in 2007. Route 66 motels also were placed on the World Monuments Fund’s 100 most threatened sites in 2007.