National Trust for Historic Preservation Names the Juana Briones House in Palo Alto, California to its 2010 List of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places
Washington, D.C.– The National Trust for Historic Preservation named the Juana Briones House in Palo Alto, Calif. to its 2010 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. This annual list highlights important examples of the nation’s architectural, cultural and natural heritage that are at risk for destruction or irreparable damage.
 In the heart of Silicon Valley, the Juana Briones House, an adobe home built in 1844, is a rare reminder of California’s rich Spanish and Mexican heritage. The oldest structure in Palo Alto, the home was constructed by one of the original Hispanic residents of San Francisco, a pioneering woman who was a rancher, traditional healer and entrepreneur. Granted a rare legal separation from her abusive husband in 1844, Juana Briones, one of only 34 women in early California history documented as a landowner, purchased a 4,400-acre rancho from Native Americans and built a homestead 30 miles south of San Francisco. There, she single-handedly raised seven children and an adopted Native American daughter and developed a reputation as a successful businesswoman.
Named a California State Historic Landmark more than 50 years ago, the Briones House was once open to the public and a popular destination for elementary school students. Today it is abandoned, deteriorated, exposed to the elements and threatened by demolition.
“Long before the Gold Rush, Juana Briones’ remarkable life made her a well-known figure in early California history,” said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “Her story of an independent, resourceful business woman and healer resonates with people of all cultures, classes, races and ages. The Juana Briones House is a rare tangible vestige of a unique and largely unknown story, one that can’t be forgotten.”
Born in 1802, Juana Briones was one of the first residents of what is now San Francisco. She was born to early Californios at Villa de Branciforte, now Santa Cruz, and spent her early years at the the Presidio of San Francisco, then a pueblo at the northern frontier of New Spain.
Although once the center of a vast ranch, the Briones home now stands on a 1.5-acre parcel in a residential neighborhood. As one of the few surviving examples of the encajonado method of rammed-earth and wood crib construction, this historically and archeologically significant site holds valuable information about life on an early California rancho.
For more than a decade, the current owners of the Juana Briones House have been battling in court to demolish the landmark building to make way for a new dwelling. The owners were granted a demolition permit by the City of Palo Alto in 2007, prompting preservationists to sue the City for failing to consider alternatives. After the successful lawsuit, the permit was rescinded, but the case is now being appealed. The owners have expressed a willingness to sell the property, and preservationists, local scholars from Stanford University and other nearby colleges and community members continue to advocate for a preservation solution for the Juana Briones House, incorporating responsible stewardship, compatible use and reasonable public access.
The public is invited to learn more about what they can do to support these and hundreds of other endangered sites, experience first-hand accounts of these places, and share stories and photos of their own at www.PreservationNation.org/11Most.
The 2010 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places was made possible, in part, by a grant from HistoryTM. Local preservation groups across the nation submitted nominations for this year's list; the nomination for the Juana Briones House was submitted by Palo Alto Stanford Heritage.
To download high resolution images and video of this year’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, visit http://www.preservationnation.org/press.
The 2010 list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places (in alphabetical order):
America's State Parks and State-Owned Historic Sites—This year, nearly 30 states have experienced cuts to parks’ and sites’ budgets, and a recent survey estimates as many as 400 state parks could close. These state park systems include places of national significance—from Native American historic sites to Revolutionary War forts to Civil War battlefields to country estates—and welcome an estimated 725 million visits every year.
Black Mountain, Harlan County, Ky. —Nestled at the base of Eastern Kentucky’s rugged Black Mountain, the historic mining towns of Benham and Lynch are working hard to define a future beyond coal. The towns, which have created well-respected heritage tourism sites and are working to revitalize their main streets, now face the threat of multiple surface and deep mining permits on and around Black Mountain—a move that would be tremendously harmful to Black Mountain’s natural beauty, fragile ecology and growing tourism industry.
Hinchliffe Stadium, Paterson, N.J. —Once the pride of Paterson, N.J., Hinchliffe Stadium is one of the last surviving ball parks of baseball’s Negro League. Today, the 10,000-seat, poured-concrete Art Deco stadium that was home to the New York Black Yankees and legendary player Larry Doby, is closed and dangerously deteriorated.
Industrial Arts Building, Lincoln, Neb.—For nearly a century, this dramatic trapezoidal exposition space with natural skylights, intricate roof trusses and a four-story fountained interior, has showcased the best of Lincoln, Neb. Despite its long, proud history, the Industrial Arts Building will soon meet the wrecking ball unless a developer steps forward to rescue and reuse the building.
Juana Briones House, Palo Alto, Calif.—In the heart of Silicon Valley stands the oldest structure in Palo Alto, built by one of the original Hispanic residents of San Francisco, a pioneering woman who was a rancher, traditional healer and entrepreneur. The 1844 adobe home is a rare reminder of California’s rich Spanish and Mexican history. Today this California State Historic Landmark sits abandoned, deteriorated, exposed to the elements and threatened by demolition.

Merritt Parkway, Fairfield County, Conn.—Spanning 37.5 distinctive miles and celebrated for its diverse collection of decorative bridges and lush, natural landscaping, Merritt Parkway remains, 70 years after it was constructed, one of America’s most scenic roads. To accommodate increased traffic on the parkway, the cash-strapped Connecticut Department of Transportation is not performing necessary maintenance and has moved to realign roads, replace bridges and redesign interchanges, all at the cost of the parkway’s unique character.

Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, Washington, D.C.—A major landmark of African American heritage and one of the most important religious institutions in the United States, Metropolitan A.M.E. Church’s red brick Victorian Gothic-style building, completed in 1886, hosted the funeral of congregant Frederick Douglass in 1895 and Rosa Parks a century later. Years of water infiltration and damage caused in part by adjacent construction projects have compromised the structure, prompting the dedicated congregation to launch a national capital campaign to rescue and restore this irreplaceable house of worship.

Pågat, Yigo, Guam—The island of Guam, the westernmost United States territory in the Pacific, is home to the Chamorro people who maintain a thriving culture dating back thousands of years. With the United States military’s announced plans for a massive buildup on the island, many residents are concerned about the potentially devastating impact on the island’s cultural resources, including one of Guam’s most treasured sites, the ancient Chamorro settlement of Pågat.

Saugatuck Dunes, Saugatuck, Mich.—Along the shores of Lake Michigan, the 2,500 acres that comprise the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Area boast a spectacular, sparsely-developed landscape of sand dunes, water, woods and wetlands. Home to several endangered species and a large number of significant historic and archeological sites, Saugatuck Dunes and its surrounding community are threatened by a proposed 400-acre, residential development, to include a marina, hotel, restaurant and retail complex.

Threefoot Building, Meridian, Miss.—For 80 years, this 16-story Art Deco, lavishly decorated, granite-clad skyscraper has been a mainstay of downtown Meridian, Miss. Although a developer expressed interest in rehabilitating the deteriorated building, the City of Meridian has been unable to provide gap financing or other incentives and locals fear that Threefoot’s bright future may end in demolition.

Wilderness Battlefield, Orange and Spotsylvania Counties, Va.—One of the most significant and bloodiest engagements of the Civil War, the Battle of the Wilderness marked the first time that legendary generals Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant faced off against one another. It is here—in an area known for its rolling landscapes and distant Blue Ridge Mountain views—that Walmart intends to trample on American heritage by constructing 240,000 square feet of “big box” commercial sprawl within the historic boundaries of Wilderness Battlefield and immediately adjacent to the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park.

America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places has identified more than 200 threatened one-of-a-kind historic treasures since 1988. Whether these sites are urban districts or rural landscapes, Native American landmarks or 20th-century sports arenas, entire communities or single buildings, the list spotlights historic places across America that are threatened by neglect, insufficient funds, inappropriate development or insensitive public policy. The designation has been a powerful tool for raising awareness and rallying resources to save endangered sites from every region of the country. At times, that attention has garnered public support to quickly rescue a treasured landmark; while in other instances, it has been the impetus of a long battle to save an important piece of our history. The list has been so successful in galvanizing preservation efforts across the country and rallying resources to save endangered places that, in just two decades, only seven sites have been lost.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation (www.PreservationNation.org) is a non-profit membership organization bringing people together to protect, enhance and enjoy the places that matter to them. By saving the places where great moments from history – and the important moments of everyday life – took place, the National Trust for Historic Preservation helps revitalize neighborhoods and communities, spark economic development and promote environmental sustainability. With headquarters in Washington, DC, eight regional and field offices, 29 historic sites, and partner organizations in 50 states, territories, and the District of Columbia, the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides leadership, education, advocacy and resources to a national network of people, organizations and local communities committed to saving places, connecting us to our history and collectively shaping the future of America’s stories.

Ayudan niños en Dallas a escuela primaria en Ciudad Juárez

Dallas, (Notimex).- Niños y padres de familia de una escuela primaria en el norte de Dallas, recolectaron 12 mil dólares para ayudar a sostener un plantel escolar en Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, bajo un programa de cooperación anual que beneficia a ambas partes.
Desde hace seis años, cada mes de abril, los estudiantes de la primaria White Rock Elementary en Richardson participan en un programa denominado “Read for Need”.
Mediante dicho programa, un padre de familia o patrocinador paga al menor una cuota por leer uno o más libros.
A lo largo de abril los niños se sumergen en un maratón de lectura, para acumular el mayor dinero posible con el propósito de regalar dichos fondos a la escuela Primaria Socorro Rivera de Ciudad Juárez.
La escuela se ubica en uno de los barrios más pobres de Ciudad Juárez, en el fronterizo estado mexicano de Chihuahua, y muchos de sus estudiantes carecen de recursos para incluso poder asistir al plantel sin ayuda exterior.
La escuela mexicana recibe cada mayo el dinero recabado por los estudiantes de la primaria en Dallas a través del programa de lectura.
Rubén Holguín, director de la primaria Socorro Rivera, recibió la víspera el cheque por 12 mil dólares en un pequeño evento en la escuela White Rock que sirvió también para conmemorar la fiesta heroica mexicana del cinco de mayo.
El dinero es utilizado para ayudar a los niños en Ciudad Juárez a asistir a la escuela, comprándoles ropas y zapatos y algunos de los fondos son aprovechados también para mejorar las instalaciones del plantel.
Desde que el programa de cooperación inició hace seis años, los niños en Dallas han recabado unos 65 mil dólares para la escuela Socorro Rivera.
Holguín dijo en el evento que “desde que White Rock comenzó a ayudarnos, hemos podido enviar 95 niños a secundaria y 17 de ellos ya están en preparatoria, listos para ir a la universidad”.

Nielsen lanza nuevos sitios web para las comunidades Asiático Americanas, Hispana y Afro Americana

The Nielsen Company, la compañía de investigaciones de mercado e información de medios líder en el mundo, está inaugurando sus micro sitios web en idiomas específicos para las comunidades Asiático Americanas e Hispana, y para la comunidad Afro Americana. Estos tres sitios web destacan los esfuerzos que realiza Nielsen respecto a la diversidad. En ellos se explican los métodos de medición, los servicios, cómo los paneles de participantes y las encuestas representan a la diversidad de la población, y cómo se recaba la información y es utilizada posteriormente.

“La Internet es un recurso muy valioso y una herramienta informativa para nuestras audiencias diversas. Y al contar con sitios web que son culturalmente relevantes, y en los idiomas correspondientes, podemos hacer un mejor trabajo informando y educando a los diversos grupos étnicos acerca de las iniciativas de Nielsen y de sus esfuerzos de alcance externo hacia las comunidades, acerca de los servicios que ofrece, y porqué las opiniones y preferencias de cada persona son importantes,” dice Cheryl Pearson-McNeil, vice presidenta senior de Asuntos Públicos y Relaciones Gubernamentales.

Quienes reciban los banners digitales o lean los avisos impresos serán dirigidos a los micro sitios que son bilingües en inglés y español como a su vez en los siguientes idiomas dirigidos a las cinco principales étnias Asiáticas: Indo Asiáticos, Chinos, Filipinos, Coreanos y Vietnamitas, con la opción de elegir entre el idioma inglés o el chino, coreano, tagalog o vietnamita.