Destination Preservation

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Ted Alexander. Apart from working at the North Carolina Senate, Ted also serves as the Western Regional Director for Preservation, North Carolina. Preservation, North Carolina is a statewide nonprofit organization that has been around in some form or another for about 81 years, having first started out as the North Carolina Society for the Preservation of Antiquities in 1939. The group looks to protect, preserve, and even repurpose built environments regarded as significant to the state’s heritage. These included properties that tell rich stories about North Carolina’s history, from Gastonia's Loray Mill Village to the Bellamy Mansion in Wilmington. When asked why it is important to preserve these historic buildings, Ted first makes it a point to give due credit to President J. Myrick Howard with the overall vision-mission of Preservation, North Carolina. He says that there are several reasons why these assets need to be preserved. For one, “there are some properties that are inherently important”, whether it was the home of a famous individual, the location of a significant event, or a very important piece of architecture of a certain style. Another reason for preservation is to “create a sense of place”, as historic buildings help to establish the identity of the community in terms of its values and self-image. A building might also “offer a very functional use in today’s world”, such as serving as a tourist attraction. Then there is the economic benefit to preserving historic assets, since not only do the buildings themselves go up in value, but they may also pave the way to further investments or the creation of more jobs. Finally, there is patriotic value to preservation, being an activity that brings the entire community together. According to studies, historic sites are almost always near the top of a tourist’s agenda. Ted says that modern travelers want to collect experiences—speaking particularly of millennials. He says that even smaller towns who understand this and do whatever they can to promote these historical buildings by telling their stories will have an edge as tourist destinations.   CONNECT: https://www.presnc.org/ www.lifeinthecarolinas.com [email protected]   SEE MORE: https://youtu.be/pK78QQ4tLMM https://youtu.be/E_xCzuKeJ_c    

Om Podcasten

Welcome to the Life in the Carolinas Podcast. Our show features a blending of stories that are primarily based on the syndicated TV show, Carl White's Life in the Carolinas and newspaper columns written by Carl White. Like Carl often says, "It's never a bad time for a good story!" The podcast is hosted by Carl and features specials guests as they share the stories behind the stories. All too often we simply do not have enough time to share everything we would like during broadcast. This podcast will allow us the opportunity to share more information and allow our viewers and readers a chance to get to know our guests more intimately. The Carolinas offer some of the finest people, landscapes, and opportunities to explore. We have traveled to the high elevations for the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games which are considered to be among the best in the nation. We discovered the beauty of the brackish Waccamaw River and learned about the massive live oaks that predate the founding of America. In Gold Hill, NC we made a connection with the past and learned about the early days of gold mining in America. We were more than intrigued with a visit to the historic Wilcox Hotel in Aiken, SC and the stories of the Roosevelt Suite. Are the stories true? It's fun to think about the possibilities. Did you know Edgefield, SC was the home of ten South Carolina Governors and that the world-renowned Jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie was from Cheraw, SC? What about those mysterious Brown Mountain Lights in the North Carolina Mountains? They have kept people guessing for hundreds of years. Do you know what they are? The stories are abundant and only limited by how many tomorrows we have for their telling. Join us as we share our stories, traditions, charm, and southern hospitality.