The 2005 field school learns about the traditional craft of forging at the American College of the Building Arts. 

Description: The course will introduce participants to the history of Charleston and its architecture; efforts to preserve and interpret African-American heritage; issues in the preservation of intangible culture and traditional building crafts; preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, and stabilization as preservation techniques; the role of government in the preservation process, particularly the city's Board of Architectural Review, the state parks service, and the National Park Service; the influence of non-profit organizations, especially the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Preservation Society of Charleston, and Historic Charleston Foundation; the essential role of the private sector; maritime preservation; and contemporary issues like planning and community development, the economics of preservation, and heritage tourism management.

Sample Class Meetings:     

Charleston Architecture

African American Heritage

Traditional Cultural Practices

Public and Private Sectors

Non-Profits

Landscapes and Environments

Maritime Preservation

Projects: The term projects make up a significant portion of the grade for the Charleston field school.  Students create their own projects in consultation with the professor.  The field school project is designed to give students hands-on experience with work in the field of public history.

Click here to view some sample projects

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