Welcome to RPPN! Our mission is to promote the preservation of buildings from the recent past and help others who are trying to do the same. Too often we lose important buildings that are less than fifty-years old, buildings that are considered "out of style," or buildings that are declared "non-contributing" to history at the civic, state, or national level. It is our goal to educate and inform the public and politicians about the value of structures from the midcentury and beyond.

If any of you have been involved in preservation efforts for modern buildings, you know what we are up against. There is hope! Every day I speak to someone who has changed their mind about a building from the recent past, whether it be the blue-paneled office building on the corner, the space-age drive-in theater, the concrete and glass church downtown, or the funky roadside restaurant.

The variety of styles, forms, materials, and philosophies of architecture from the recent past is astounding. We want to help you save a part of that history for the future. With these goals in mind, Richard Longstreth, (Professor of American Civilization and Director, Graduate Program in Historic Preservation, George Washington University, and former president of the Society of Architectural Historians), Michael A. Tomlan (Associate Professor and Director, Graduate Program in Historic Preservation Planning, Cornell University, and Project Director, National Council for Preservation Education), and the Officers inaugurated RPPN in October 2000.

We have a lot of work to do and want to make this organization YOUR organization. If you have any comments, suggestions, news, or would like to volunteer, please visit us at http://www.recentpast.org/ « less