By: Abby Coven

Editorial Editor 

As America celebrates its 250th birthday, honoring the pathway to nationhood and its continued growth is as important as ever. Individuals from all backgrounds value remembering historical milestones by visiting memorable monuments, sites, and buildings. To make way for rapid growth and modernization during the post-World War II era, developers put older architecture at risk of demolition. The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 aimed to preserve historic and cultural sites across the United States. While federal protection and similar state and local laws exist, historical landmarks are still altered or destroyed too often, and the government must require a more rigorous process that prioritizes the voices of living communities impacted by proposed changes.

The NHPA established the National Register of Historic Places that identifies sites and structures important to American architecture, engineering, and culture. The review process requires federal agencies to consider the impact of any federally funded project on historic properties and provide opportunities for public comment. The law exempts the U.S. Capitol, the White House, and the Supreme Court, deferring to each branch of government’s independent control over its own building. 

Over the last year, President Donald Trump demolished the White House’s East Wing to replace it with a massive ballroom. Even though his actions are technically permissible under the NHPA, previous presidents voluntarily sought congressional approval and subjected themselves to institutional safeguards to balance modernization with preservation. Newly proposed legislation rightly seeks to close this loophole and require public and congressional input. Furthermore, the East Wing is a critically important aspect of American women’s history because it provides dedicated office space for the First Lady and staff. First Ladies from the past four presidential administrations vehemently objected to the annihilation along with over 35,000 members of the public.
Despite the White House exemption, President Trump offered no demonstrated justification that met preservation standards, such as major structural damage or other conditions requiring abatement. Similarly, the demolition of the historic B’nai Brith Lodge in Los Angeles lacked sufficient cause. The lodge was a meaningful landmark for Jewish and labor union communities. However, Catholic charities proposed leveling the property when viable alternatives and workarounds were possible. The culturally connected groups filed multiple appeals and public hearings, but their concerns did not weigh heavily enough, and they went forward with destroying the lodge .

As these cases continue to threaten the demolition of important historic and cultural landmarks, impacted communities and other interested parties must be able to register a stronger objection or veto to ensure preservation is prioritized. Every culture has a valuable history and deserves the right to prevent unnecessary destruction of it.

(Sources: BBC, LA Times, PBS)