Boston's "Changeful Times"

by Michael Holleran

Boston's "Changeful Times" chronicles the relationship between historic preservation, planning, and the desire for permanence in Boston during the years from 1860 to 1930. Michael Holleran describes Boston as a city aware of its prominent Puritan and Revolutionary history and proud of its role as guardian of the past through institutions such as the Athenaeum and the Massachusetts Historical Society. Exploring Boston's struggles to save now-famous land-marks such as the Old South Church and Boston Common, Holleran traces the preservation movement's growth from its focus on saving historic buildings to its involvement in preserving public green spaces and addressing other large-scale urban issues. He describes subdivision design innovations and the use of deed restrictions, limits on building heights, and neighborhood zoning protection to control ever-increasing urban growth. Holleran concludes that the tools invented for stopping change proved even more powerful for shaping change. New