Real Places and Telling Stories

The heart of the heritage development process, however, is telling stories in real places. On this point there was no disagreement. “The power of real places,” and perhaps even “sacred” ones, is what draws potential visitors and what keeps residents here, Adelmann said. “It has to be real,” Moriarity added, and we have the real thing right here. “Let’s work for authenticity,” urged one citizen in a discussion group. Such real places and the real fabric of our city, our experts advised, need strengthening as well as preservation.

Likewise, participants were unanimous about the central role of “telling stories” in the heritage development process. The Commercial Slip might well remain a “pile of rocks in a hole,” as Carmichael put it, until we tell the stories that explain why the Canal was important for Buffalo and the nation. These stories, moreover, become the “thematic glue” that make all of the places offered to visitors comprehensible. Plus, there is much more than just the Canal story as citizens in one discussion group detailed. The stories of Native American inhabitation, the Underground Railroad, military history across the centuries, of ethnic immigrations, industry, railways, genealogy, bicycling, art and more all need to be told.

People in the heritage development industry call it “interpretation.” More straightforwardly it is education. As Moriarity put it, “interpretation is teaching.” It plays a role for visitors and residents. It is a key value motivating tourists. It is an important benefit for residents. And it is a part of the planning process. Getting everyone to understand the meaning and significance of buildings, places, and landscapes is a key to making the right choices in preservation and development.

The interrelationships between the meaning of “real” and the process of “telling stories” presents some crucial choices for how to handle the historic resources at the center of the conversation. As Elaine Carmichael asked, “what level of authenticity is required to tell the story?” Answering the question involves striking a careful balance between the “real,” the “story,” and the economic limits of the situation. The specific answer, she suggested, might range anywhere from putting up a plaque to creating a total “cultural landscape” or “immersive environment” recalling the Canal.

In Augusta, Georgia, Gallaher noted, they combined real canal with replica canal and “you can’t tell the difference.” On the other hand, Moriarity warned, it is a “slippery slope” we travel from restoration to reconstruction. At some point, he said, reconstruction or re-creation risks losing the essential message of the place. As one citizen pointed out, you don’t need one hundred percent of the physical relic in order to tell the story. Several speakers emphasized that all elements of the development don’t have to be right at the slip. But the whole thing has to generate enough revenue to keep the attraction going.