U.S. Churches, Bridge, Hot Springs in Danger

Thu May 29, 2003 - 01:03 PM ET

By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The cradle of the American Revolution in Massachusetts, a Kansas bridge named after aviator Amelia Earhart and the TWA terminal at JFK Airport in New York are among America's most endangered historic places, preservationists said Thursday.

In its annual list of America's Most Endangered Historic Places, the National Trust for Historic Preservation also included urban houses of worship -- churches, synagogues and mosques -- as being at risk.

The trust said many religious houses were in trouble, having fallen victim to changing demographics, limited capital budgets, soaring real estate values and the wrecking ball.

"Huge changes have affected urban churches and synagogues. They are very important both architecturally and in community outreach," Peter Brink, senior vice president at the trust, told Reuters.

The Bush administration has also signed onto the campaign to renovate places of worship and said Tuesday it would reverse a long-standing U.S. government policy and allow federal grants to be used for this cause.

Other endangered U.S. landmarks on the 2003 list included the Minute Man National Historical Park outside Boston, which has historical sites associated with the American Revolution.

Consisting of more than 900 acres of land which wind along the original segments of the Battle Road, the Trust said heavy air traffic and unchecked noise from Hanscom airport was taking a "devastating toll" on the national park.

"The traffic has been growing and the noise and congestion has really had an impact on the historic sites in that area. The hope is to get some reasonable ceilings on air traffic and to deal with congestion," said Brink.

The Amelia Earhart Memorial Bridge in Atchison, Kansas, is also on the list because of plans to replace it with a new bridge, even though it is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Arkansas Hot Springs National Park, which has a collection of historic bathhouses, was another endangered site and Brink said the key to rescuing them was to find more uses for the building and make it more viable.

Another place at risk was the TWA Terminal at JFK International Airport where the Port Authority plans to demolish parts of Eero Saarinen's 1962 curvilinear building.

"Ever since the 1960s it's been a landmark for me. It's one of the most inspiring buildings I have seen ... We are pressing the Port Authority to come up with some viable uses for the building so that it is not obliterated," said Brink.

Additional landmarks at risk were the Ocmulgee Old Fields in Macon Georgia which provides evidence of 12,000-year-old Ice Age settlements. East Side and Middle Schools in Decorah, Iowa, were also listed as was the Zuni Salt Lake and sanctuary zone in New Mexico.

© Copyright Reuters 2002
==========
**NOTICE: In accordance with 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.** ==========