A rethinking of history

Visitors to historical sites are tending to be older and fewer in numbers. Adding to that, according to several history experts, is that teaching about the past is becoming less and less of a priority within the nation’s public education system.

These were the conclusions of a recorded webinar presented by the American Association for State and Local History on the History Relevance Campaign that Cheney’s Historical Preservation Commission reviewed at its June 2 meeting. The presentation and subsequent discussion was needed, secretary Sue Beeman said, because the commission represents the community, and given the statistics presented, needs to examine how Cheney’s history is preserved and communicated.

“We need to somehow shift the dialogue,” Beeman told the commission. “How do you sell people that spending a bit more money to restore and maintain buildings is relevant?”

Beeman cited the Cheney School District’s Fisher Building as an example of a structure in Cheney that represents the city’s history. Another structure that came up later in conversation was the former Northern Pacific Railroad Depot, which a non-profit citizen’s organization, the Cheney Depot Society (formerly Save Our Station), is currently attempting raise money to relocate it from Burlington Northern Santa Fe property.

According to its website, the History Relevance Campaign began in 2012 after discussions among historians and other professionals about the declining nature of teaching and researching history in the U.S. Campaign note that “Children are not expected to learn it in schools, community leaders rarely look to it to inform today’s decisions, and national leaders select and distort facts to support their positions.”

While some people do visit historical sites as well as watch documentaries and history-based movies, this engagement amounts to “an occasional pleasant pastime, not something especially relevant to their lives.”

According to webinar information from the National Endowment for the Arts, visits to historical sites have dropped from about 37 percent of the public in 1980 to under 25 percent in 2012. This decline has taken place as the number of nationally registered historical sites certified each year has risen steadily since 1966, with approximately 86,000 certifications taking place in 2010.

The age of visitors to these sites has increased, however. Of those visiting historical sites in 2002, almost 25 percent were between the ages of 35-44, with about 23 percent age 45-54, as compared to 13 percent of those 55-64 and 7 percent of people 65-74.

In 2008, both the 35-44 and 45-54 categories had declined to 20 percent and 22 percent while the 55-64 and 65-74 rose to 17 percent and almost 9 percent.

To combat these trends, the Historical Relevancy Campaign is launching efforts to show people the value of history, citing seven reasons why knowing history is essential: identity, critical skills, vital places to live and work, economic development, engaged citizens, leadership and legacy.

During the subsequent discussion, commission members and staff agreed that part of the decline in historical site visits stems from a lack of emphasis on history instruction in school. Commissioner Richard Donley and city planner Brett Lucas both added that government sometimes has gotten in the way of historical access, citing the need to spend $30 to purchase a Discover Pass in order to visit some locations.

Commission chair Dr. Charles Mutschler noted that making that access relevant and presentable in a format younger audiences use is also key.

“Part of the challenge is accessing the younger audiences with media they’re used to, but then say ‘Yeah, come here, let’s really experience this, not just on a little screen,” he added.

Mutschler said that presenting Cheney history, such as with the railroad depot, in a way that ties individual family experiences to the information is something to consider.

“If you can just get them there,” Commissioner Scott Wilbanks said.

John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].