The Value of History

A sense of place provides us with a canvas in which to tell a story. Nostalgia is one of the top reasons we visit places. Often, when visiting such places we spend money. I recently received an e-mail containing the attached photograph.

Four friends meet for lunch at the Universal Joint on a regular basis. These friends do not live in Decatur, but other parts in the state. They choose our warm neighborhood because it is where they grew up. They visit and talk. Their conversations are likely to include catching up on current events and reminiscing about their life in Oakhurst.

Without the sense of place and tie to the past they would likely not be drawn here. The ability to see a glimpse of what a building or group of buildings looked like in the past draws on nostalgia, a very powerful thing. If the neighborhood does not retain that sense of place, that link to the past, then it is no longer a nostalgic destination.

Sure, this trip down memory lane only brings in $40-50/month or so for one of our local eating establishments. But, this is not the only story we have heard about other former residence returning to the home they grew up in. We have also heard from visitors that spend time in Oakhurst because it reminds them of the place they grew up and because that place no longer exists for nostalgic purposes.

Local historic districts help keep this link to the past, which is valuable aesthetically and economically. The purpose of such a local district zoning is not to freeze a place in time, but to make sure new development does not erase the past.