Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Patricia T Garris's avatar

I just read about you in the Historic Santa Fe Foundation publication and wish I could attend your talk. Santa Fe is home for me in that I was born there, lived there for the first 20+ years of my life, and even now get homesick and have to return for a visit. However, I have lived in Virginia for the past 50 years so this is home as well. Almost two years ago, I moved to a different city in Virginia so your writings intrigued me (have political science, history, and urban planning background). I too have deliberately visited different places here in Richmond, which also has a rich historical background. One thought I often have is that my immersing myself in a place, even for a short while, intertwines that place’s and my stories.

I am thinking about your Camino Royal photo—you have already visited the portal of a new place—one day you may become one of the travelers.

I like your photo idea—I always take photos but not always with such deliberation. However, I must admit that when I visited the historic Hollywood cemetery (named after the trees), with its rolling hills, blooming trees, view of the James River, and graves that include many eras of history and their stories, I thought, “this would be a nice place to be buried”. Talk about immersion with place!

One little thing—I personally would never label the Governor’s palace portal as urbanism—to me at least that diminishes its rich and complex history by tagging it with a present day moniker.

I look forward to your articles!

Expand full comment
John Hedrick's avatar

Very interesting. Love the “mailbox ghosts” interpretation!

Expand full comment

No posts