Landmark West!

The community group Landmark West! works to preserve the architectural heritage of the Upper West Side through advocacy and education projects. The organization lobbies for landmark designation for individual buildings and historic districts and serves as curator for more than 2,600 landmarks. Educational programs lead students to discover history through the investigation of the past and present of their local surroundings. While Landmark West! focuses on the west side of Manhattan, its activities can be adapted to other neighborhoods as well. The My Preservation Journal workbook is the centerpiece of many offerings of the Keeping the Past for the Future educational program.

On-site programs: As part of participation in the Keeping the Past for the Future program, school groups take walking tours of neighborhood architecture (Grades K–8; free to NYC public schools)

In-school programs: As part of participation in the Keeping the Past for the Future program, educators lead sessions that explore elements of architecture and design, study the components of a community, investigate New York in 1890 through photographs and walking tours, and introduce the fundamentals of historic preservation. Students in grades 4–8 utilize the workbook My Preservation Journal, which familiarizes students with their neighborhood, helps them recognize architectural forms, and challenges them to become active and creative preservationists. Teachers receive historic photographs, suggested activities, and projects that expand on program themes. (Grades K–8; free to NYC public schools)

Professional development: As part of participation in the Keeping the Past for the Future program, Landmark West! educators meet with small groups of teachers to introduce methods for integrating My Preservation Journal and community projects into classroom curricula. Sample activities include building a model of a school, identifying shapes in the neighborhood, or studying Central Park. (For teachers of grades K–8; free to NYC public schools)

General information: Address: 45 West 67th Street, New York, NY 10023; Phone: (212) 496-8110; Web: www.landmarkwest.org.

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