Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Small historic town'

Small towns can be seen as the fundamental building blocks of tbe urban system. Through time, some of these towns have lost the primary reason for their existence. Some towns that have been declining or stagnating include old mining and industrial towns, such as Indwe in the Eastern Cape or Welkom in the Free State. Some towns have also changed the main focus of tbeir economy, for example, from that of mining to that of tourism, as in the case of Utrecht in Kwa-Zulu Natal (Nel, 2002). In light of the above, this thesis seeks to critically evaluate what has happened in selected small towns in the Eastern Cape. The research investigated a number of towns in the Eastern Cape, looking at the history and influence of colonisation, population dynamics, education levels, employment opportunities, migration and the influence of capitalism on the economic and social structure of the town, as well as tbe evolution of its economy. The research sample consisted of interviews witb local historians, community leaders, development agencies and individuals who were benefiting from tbe various development initiatives/project in the towns. These interviews, in conjunction with the literature identified, were conducted in the selected small towns, assessing whether development was succeeding and, in conclusion, identifying witb reference to the study sites, what was learnt. The research process generated a number of lessons that need to be taken into consideration when attempting social and economic upliftment in small towns. These include: the need for leadership, support from the local population and the need for financial assistance to support and uplift the community.
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Soils in the urban environment are distinctive in that they are modified through waste amendments. Consideration has been given to how urban soil properties reflect current human influence; however, recent studies highlight their potential as historical archives. The impact of waste disposal on the nature, properties and formation of urban soils is significant, especially in historic small towns where the extent and complexity of refuse management practices is only just emerging. This study uses a multi-method approach to characterise and understand modes of urban anthrosol formation in three Scottish burghs; Lauder, Pittenweem and Wigtown. The objectives of this study are threefold; to establish the nature and diversity of urban anthrosols in and near to historic small towns, to characterise and account for the multiplicity of urban anthrosols in and near to historic small towns, and to elucidate the processes associated with waste management and disposal in historic small towns. Physical, chemical and micromorphological analysis of topsoil deposits indicate sustained addition of past waste materials to soils within and near to historic small towns. Soil characteristics were heterogeneous across burghs; however, distinct patterns according to past functional zones were identified. The burgh core and burgh acres are important areas of interest at all three burghs. Soil modification was most pronounced within burgh cores resulting in the formation of hortic horizons. Soils within burgh cores are characterised by neutral pH, increased organic matter content, enhanced magnetic susceptibility and elevated elemental concentrations such as calcium, phosphorus and potassium. In comparison the nature and extent of soil modification within burgh acres is more varied. At Lauder hortic soils were identified in the burgh acres suggesting pronounced soil modification through cultivation. Deepened topsoil in the burgh acres at Pittenweem provided evidence for application of mineral rich waste materials in the past. Moreover, magnetic and elemental enhancement (barium, phosphorus, lead, zinc) within the burgh acres south of Wigtown revealed historic soils based anthropogenic signal. It is argued that changes in soil characteristics at Lauder, Pittenweem and Wigtown can be explained through processes of waste management and disposal in the past. Evidence from micromorphological analyses suggests that waste in burgh cores typically comprised domestic waste, animal waste, building materials and fuel residues. These materials were also identified within burgh acres, although it is noted that their abundances were significantly lower. Variation in urban anthrosol characteristics between burghs is attributed to differing industries and patterns of resource exploitation, for example marine waste associated with fishing was only identified in coastal burghs. The sustained addition of waste materials to soils within and near to historic small towns was an effective waste management strategy. Waste disposal in burgh cores was likely to be a combination of direct application and midden spreading in back gardens. This led to enhanced soil fertility which was important in the development of urban horticulture; particularly for poorer inhabitants who did not have access to arable farm land adjacent to the burgh. Dunghills acted as temporary stores of waste in the main thoroughfares of Lauder, Pittenweem and Wigtown. These dunghills were systematically transported to the burgh acres for further use as a fertiliser; hence, an early form of urban composting. Processes of waste disposal could not be deduced from soil characteristics alone; however, likely methods include direct waste deposition, storage and redistribution of midden waste, and storage and redistribution of dunghills. The limitations of soil classification systems and mapping are highlighted, for example urban soils are either omitted from soil maps or are misclassified. It is recommended that urban soils in historic towns should be incorporated into future regional soil maps. Urban soils represent a complex archive of past human behaviour not necessarily reflected in archaeological excavation or documentary analysis. It is argued that soil and artefacts are equally important, hence soil should be a consideration in urban heritage and conservation strategies.

This paper explores the preservation and presentation of small town historic identity. The current discussions and dialogue of scholars, theorists and critics of preservation efforts uncover preservation's presence and effect on today and tomorrow's world. Contemporary development patterns have led to an increasing amount of cities and towns across the United States to adopt preservation policies to maintain their historical identity and character. The preservation movement's acceptance and its increase in scope have also facilitated the integration of its values in planning policies. The successful history of the preservation movement in America is reviewed, along with its present-day use as a cultural and economic revitalization tool. Government and non-profit agencies at the national and state level have facilitated the widespread use of preservation policies with small towns in Virginia. Preservation policy objectives may include: heritage tourism, community revitalization, preservation and heritage education, economic development, and affordable housing. A diverse set of motivations is found in the psychological benefits of maintaining history. Preserving historic structures may contribute to one's sense of place, nostalgia, collective memory and historical identity. The preservation of old buildings and environments is used to serve a variety of town agendas. These motives, other than historical, are the focus of the critical literature on preservation efforts. Power, representation, consumerism, and authenticy are common criticisms of historic preservation practice that threaten the historic integrity of the town. These issues form a framework to analyze local preservation practice of small Virginia towns and provide towns with a means to evaluate their preservation policies or programs. This paper provides small towns with information to maintain their historic identity without threatening future vitality and authenticity of the built environment.
Master of Urban and Regional Planning

Thesis (M. Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1994.
Vita.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 163-164).
Small towns offer a type of community different than that of large metropolitan areas. The ideals of this community are deeply rooted in its history and culture. However, the current state of small towns in general, not only in America but also in Sweden, has been transformed dramatically during the last several decades. Advancements in technology, dependence upon the automobile and the introduction of the shopping mall, have resulted in the decay of the physical and social qualities which defined these places. The public spaces of small towns, characteristically the Town square and Main street, historically have been thriving places for social interaction and places which contributed to the sense of community pride and identity which every resident could understand. Unfortunately, these are the areas which have been affected the most. This thesis project is intended to study the past, current and future state of the small town and its major public spaces, and propose, through a series of interventions, to create good quality public spaces in the form of clearly defined destinations along and at the end of the historical paths. The revitalization of these spaces, through a method of continuation of traditions and history, are vital to the future success of these places and should promote a renewed sense of community, a sense of participation and contribution to a larger whole : the town.
by Peter M. Brockman, Jr.
M.Arch.

Historic preservation has been a successful economic development tool that has led to heritage tourism in some Tennessee towns but not in others. The problem studied was to determine if there was a set of tangible attributes a town must possess to be successful in using historic preservation as an economic development tool. Through an extensive literature review, 59 predictor variables were identified and arranged into 6 research questions looking at the tangible attributes related to town demographics, geography, organizational structure, historic preservation organizations, heritage tourism organizations, and town financial structure. Data were collected from a mailed survey of 32 town managers. The response rate was 68.8% (N = 22). Secondary sources, such as U.S. Census data, were used to collect data when those sources appeared consistent and mandatory. The study used logistic regression analysis to compare successful towns, defined as those towns in the upper third of study towns for tourism expenditures per capita, with less than successful towns. The 32 study towns met the criteria of having a 2003 population of fewer than 10,000 and a nationally-recognized historic district that coincided with the towns' central business districts. The results of the logistic regression analysis on the individual predictor variables indicated that 5 were statistically significant--median age, distance to a major city, restaurant beer sales, Grand Division, and merchants' association. Constraining the final predictive model (Garson, 2006) to no more than 1 variable per 10 cases 3 led to the inclusion of median age and merchants' association as the 2 predictor variables that provided the highest predictive value of correctly classified towns (95.8%). In summary, this study is inconclusive in determining whether historic preservation leads to heritage tourism and can be used as an economic development tool by small Tennessee towns. However, it has been established that 5 attributes or characteristics of small towns does contribute to the probability of success and that median age and the existence of a merchants' association proved to be the best predictive model.

The thesis begins with a brief historiographical survey establishing the rationale for research into the role of small towns in the early modem English economy. The spatial dimension of the Shropshire urban system is then analysed employing Christaller central place methodology. Databases for 1797 and 1828 are derived from directory sources and supplemented by information on the transport and market infrastructures and their services to examine centrality, function, connectivity and nodality by hierarchical ranking. The second part of the thesis develops occupational and sectoral classification systems to delineate the economic parameters of the urban system. The sectoral structure of the small towns at the benchmark dates of 1797 and 1828 is analysed and a typology of the urban system is developed from the demographic and economic data. The final part provides case studies of six small towns: Bishops Castle, Bridgnorth, Broseley, Ludlow, Much Wenlock and Oswestry. Benchmark estimates derived from probate inventories, occupational and fiscal data are used to analyse the composition and rate of growth of output by sector, and to create time series from the early seventeenth to the early nineteenth centuries. The extent to which the evidence of the case studies is representative of the urban system as a whole, typologically differentiated, is considered in the conclusion.

I focus on Company A of the Nineteenth Texas Infantry, C.S.A., and its unique status among other Confederate military units. The raising of the company within the narrative of the regiment, its battles and campaigns, and the post-war experience of its men are the primary focal points of the thesis. In the first chapter, a systematic analysis of various aspects of the recruit’s background is given, highlighting the wealth of Company A’s officers and men. The following two chapters focus on the campaigns and battles experienced by the company and the praise bestowed on the men by brigade and divisional staff. The final chapter includes a postwar analysis of the survivors from Company A, concentrating on their locations, professions, and contributions to society, which again illustrate the achievements accomplished by the veterans of this unique Confederate unit. As a company largely drawn from Jefferson, Texas, a growing inland port community, Company A of the Nineteenth Texas Infantry differed from other companies in the regiment, and from most units raised across the Confederacy. Their unusual backgrounds, together with their experiences during and after the war, provide interesting perspectives on persistent questions concerning the motives and achievements of Texas Confederates.

Pocahontas High School, the smallest of four Tazewell County high schools, is presently located in the historic town of Pocahontas, Virginia. From the school's establishment in 1908 until 1955, the high school was located at the top of Water Street within the town limits. In 1955, students were moved to a new building at its present site just inside the town's corporate limits. The school today serves the communities of Abbs Valley, Boissevain, and the Town of Pocahontas, Virginia. This study included an examination of the role of the school in the mining community, and the relationship between the coal company and the school. Thus, the researcher reviewed literature-surrounding life in mining industrial towns to determine whether Pocahontas conformed to the conventional interpretations of such mining-industrial communities. The researcher also considered the life of the school and community following the cessation of mining operations in Pocahontas. An examination of the reasons for the school having remained open despite declining enrollment and the importance of the school to its communities was examined through the eyes of local community leaders, residents, and graduates of Pocahontas High School. This study employed conventional historical research methods in order to document the history of Pocahontas High School. The data collected from documents and interviews were handled qualitatively, with some data appearing in the form of numbers and graphs. Data gathered for this study were derived from both primary and secondary sources. This study used written, pictorial, and oral sources. Oral materials included oral history interviews with local historians, public officials and individuals involved with Pocahontas High School during the period of study. Triangulation verification techniques were used to accurately describe the impact of coal mining and the closing of the mine on the development, growth, and decline of the school and community.
Ed. D.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 206-212).
Urban agriculture (UA), defined in this study as the cultivation of crops and the farming of poultry and livestock within city boundaries, is not a new phenomenon. There are noticeable gaps in the literature in respect of Cape Town: a lack of information on the history of the practice and a relative lack of information on the social benefits. Life history interviews were conducted with 30 small-scale, informal UA farmers in the Cape Flats areas of Guguletu, Philippi, Nyanga, KTC and New Crossroads. It was found that UA has been practised in various parts of the Cape Flats since the early 20th century. It was found that Cape Flats farmers have derived and continue to derive a variety of benefits from both the products and the processes of their UA activities, including food security, health and income generation, as well as significant social benefits.

This Bachelor’s Thesis discusses the Swedish artist and photographer Birger Gabriel Sjöberg. He was born in Varberg, Sweden in the year of 1835 and died 40 years later, in the year of 1875. During his short-lived life he accomplished creating both paintings and photographs connected to his hometown. These are now of value by culture-historical means. By answering question formulations regarding his living, education and esthetic production, the main purpose is to give a synoptic presentation of both his life and work. Since Sjöberg is not a part of the widely known context of art history, the thesis also strives to bring a light to a mostly unknown and unwritten artist. This study contains of two main parts, one biographical part, and one iconological part were a chosen number of his paintings and photographs are discussed. Throughout the iconological part, the works are analysed by means of Heinrich Wölfflin’s Principles of Art History. The introducing of the works is to give an overall apprehension about what he achieved concerning his creating in both work and private life.

Lys de la royauté ou croix de l’Église, l’espace des villes médiévales se caractérise par les marques qu’y ont apposées les institutionsmédiévales. À la fin du Moyen Âge, les nouvelles élites urbaines s’approprient ce marquage de l’espace public par l’image en yimposant leurs propres signes. Elles affirment alors leur présence sur la scène publique et artistique. Aux XIVe et XVe siècles, ledécor civil se fait l’expression tangible de cette transformation sociale ; des signes emblématiques et de petites sculptures figuréesinvestissent l’espace urbain. L’institution municipale fait édifier un bâtiment emblématique, l’hôtel de ville, dont le portail armoriéfait écho aux emblèmes qu’elle fait placer dans les lieux stratégiques. Les particuliers, à leur tour, transposent à leurs habitations cesmodes de représentation monumentale. Officiers ou marchands, ces hommes nouveaux couvrent leurs résidences de blasons, figuresreligieuses ou emblématiques. Les ensembles décoratifs, en les rattachant à un métier, une institution ou une paroisse, disent laposition sociale et les valeurs morales que revendiquent les commanditaires bourgeois. Ceux-ci, par la présentation de leurs insignespersonnels, de leur devise ou de leur nom, mettent en scène leur identité, introduisant dans l’espace public urbain des fragments desubjectivité. Des petites figures singulières et radicales se déploient : corps nus et exposés, scènes grotesques et allégoriques, quifigurent la déchéance possible pour valoriser le statut. Structurés et hiérarchisés, ces décors forment un système relationnel danslequel l’ascension répond à l’exclusion, signes d’un ordre social en transformation
Whether royal lily or Christian cross, the space of medieval towns is characterized by the marks placed on it by medieval institutions.At the end of the Middle-Ages, the new urban elites make the process of marking the city their own by imposing their own signs onthe public space. Thus, they assert their presence on the public and artistic scene. In the 14th and 15th century, civilian decorationbecomes the tangible expression of this social transformation ; emblems and small sculptural figures conquer the urban space. Anemblematic edifice, the town hall, is erected by the municipal institution, whose emblazoned portal echo other emblems placed atstrategic locations. Private citizens, in turn, transplant into their homes these monumental modes of representation. Officers ormerchants – these men of a new kind – cover their residences with coats of arms, religious or emblematic figures. By linking them toa profession, an institution or a parish, these decorative programs state the social standing and moral values that those affluentcommissioners claim for themselves. By presenting their personal insignia, their motto or their name, they put their identity on stage,thereby introducing fragments of subjectivity in the public and urban space. Some singular and radical small figures begin toproliferate: exposed, naked bodies, grotesque and allegorical scenes that foreshadow one’s possible downfall in order to exalt one’scurrent status. Structured and hierarchically organized, these decors form a relational system in which social promotion dialogueswith exclusion : telltale signs of a social order in transformation

Parmi les formes d’organisation de l’habitat antique, il en est une qui est longtemps restée en retrait dans la recherche archéologique française. Les agglomérations antiques, qui correspondent à des formes très variées d’habitat groupé, suscitent un intérêt majeur depuis une vingtaine d’années.L’étude historiographique, à l’échelle de la Gaule, fait ressortir un espace en marge des recherches, celui des cités du Massif central. Cette thèse propose donc d’étudier les agglomérations antiques des cités arverne, vellave, gabale, rutène, cadurque et lémovice entre le Ier s. av. J.-C. et le Ve s. ap. J.-C. Les objectifs sont multiples. Il a été nécessaire dans un premier temps d’établir un corpus de sites à partir de la bibliographie régionale. Celui-ci est composé de notices normalisées au sein desquelles l’ensemble des données actuellement disponibles a été présenté. Pour répondre aux questions d’organisation spatiale et de classification, les données bibliographiques recueillies, complétées par des opérations de terrain (prospections terrestres, aériennes, géophysiques, relevés topographiques), ont été synthétisées à partir d’une série de descripteurs archéologiques développés sur le modèle d’Archaeomedes. L’emploi de ces descripteurs a permis la mise en œuvre d’analyses statistiques multivariées afin de dépasser le simple classement par niveaux de fiabilité (sites rejetés, agglomérations hypothétiques, agglomérations avérées). C’est sur la base de la classification retenue après différents tests et sur la hiérarchie urbaine proposée que les analyses spatiales et morphologiques permettent de brosser un tableau complet de l’armature urbaine des cités antiques du Massif central.Les résultats obtenus ont permis d’exposer et de comprendre à la fois les relations entre les agglomérations et le milieu naturel mais aussi avec leur environnement archéologique par l’étude de leurs relations avec l’habitat rural, les chefs-lieux, les limites des cités, leur territoire théorique, les axes de communications terrestres et fluviaux. En changeant d’échelle, l’analyse interne des agglomérations permet d’appréhender à la fois leur morphologie générale mais aussi la place des édifices monumentaux au sein des agglomérations et au sein des cités, le rôle de l’artisanat, les aménagements hydrauliques, … Pour l’analyse de l’armature urbaine, la thèse prend nécessairement en compte l’évolution chronologique des agglomérations à travers leur origine protohistorique, leur évolution durant l’Antiquité et leur devenir au début du Moyen Âge.Pour mener à bien ce travail, il a été nécessaire de croiser les approches documentaires (bibliographie, opérations de terrains), de croiser les échelles d’analyse (du site au Massif central) et de comparer les résultats à ceux des régions voisines. Passées, les analyses statistiques, c’est à partir d’un SIG et d’une base de données que l’ensemble des synthèses a pu être mené.Cette thèse constitue la première synthèse sur les agglomérations antiques des cités du Massif central. Les résultats mettent en avant l’importance des agglomérations dans le système de peuplement et des armatures urbaines variables entre les cités mais qui semblent structurées en partie par le relief et les axes de communications. Les fonctions présentes au sein des agglomérations, si elles sont variées et récurrentes, montrent des spécificités entre les cités mais aussi une hétérogénéité au sein de chacune d’elles. Enfin, l’analyse chronologique montre une réduction du nombre des agglomérations à partir du IIIe siècle mais pas leur disparition. De même, de nouvelles formes d’habitats groupés apparaissent à partir du IVe siècle attestant non pas une crise mais une évolution dans l’organisation urbaine des cités pour répondre à de nouveaux besoins
Among the forms of organization one can observe in the ancient habitat, there is one particular structure that has been slightly ignored by French archeologists: the lesser urbanized settlements. However, in the last twenty years, small towns have attracted renewed interest.A historiographical study of the Gaul territory highlighted a less studied group of population: the ancient peoples of the Massif Central. In this thesis we intend to have a closer look at such populations as the Arvernes, the Vellaves, the Gabales, the Rutenes, the Cadurques, and the Lemovices from 1st century B.C. - 5th century A.D. We first established a corpus of sites starting with the study of the regional bibliography, which enabled us to create records for each area. We completed this first approach with several field operations such as ground, aerial, geophysical and topographical surveys. All those data were synthesized in a series of archaeological descriptors developed using the Archaeomedes model.The use of such descriptors enabled us to develop some statistical analyses and go beyond the simple reliability factor (which allows the distinction between rejected sites, hypothetical and true urbanized clusters). On the basis of our tested and proven classification, keeping in mind the suggested urban hierarchy and with the help of our spatial and morphological analyses, we were able to obtain a more complete picture of the urban framework of the ancient cities of the Massif Central.The data collected allowed us to better apprehend and understand the relation between such urban clusters and their natural environment, but also to place them in an archaeological context by studying the links between rural housing, the ancient administrative structure (chef-lieu), the city and territory limits, and the major communication routes (land and water). Through a multi-scale study of those population clusters, we were able to determine their general structure, to look at the role of local crafts and trade but also the place of major buildings, and waterworks. We took specific care to the chronological evolution in thosesmall towns by looking at them from their protohistoric beginnings through Antiquity and until early medieval times.While we cross-referenced all the different sources (bibliography and field surveys) and the analysis scales within the Massif Central, we also did a cross-comparison with other neighboring areas in order to validate such work. Besides the statistical data, we used the Geographic Information System and our database to reach our conclusions.This thesis aims at uncovering the reality of those ancient population clusters present in the Massif Central. Our results showed clearly the importance of those in the settlement system, their different forms structured according to the local geography and major trade routes. The functions/positions available in small towns were varied and recurrent but also corresponded to specific trades within each structure while remaining homogeneous.Through our chronological analysis we were able to point out a significant reduction in their numbers starting in the third century, though not their disappearing. In the 4th century new types of population clusters appeared, not as a response to an acute crisis, but more as a result of an evolution called on by new needs

This research account centers on the life history-inspired narratives of engaged teachers, parents, and community members associated with King Albert Public School (KAPS). Since early 2000 to 2008 staff at KAPS collaborated with students, community parents, businesses, and organizations to meet the needs of students and to make positive connections within surrounding neighbourhoods. In the process KAPS witnessed substantial transformation. Paramount in connecting with the community was the construction of a new school gymnasium. KAPS became a hub for students, parents, and community. In the process of construction and subsequent use of the gym, the school itself developed a new sense of meaning in the community. As I navigate the process of becoming a teacher I use a reflexive inquiry approach to parallel my process of development to the transformation that occurred at KAPS. Also, this project contributes to the rural and small-town Ontario research literature on poverty and schooling.