Cuyler,

I've read other books by Lowenthal... I'll look for this one.

A phenomena that interests me in NYC at least where I encounter it is 
that a majority of the trades folks who touch the historic fabric come 
from places where our local history is in no way their history. Add to 
that in most cases they rarely get any education on the project as to 
what is the history or significance of what they interface with. As I 
agree that the past is a recreation of a 'foreign' country it is curious 
to wonder to what degree it matters in a contemporary intervention if 
the trades employed have any idea of the history or significance of a 
site or if one should rely solely on their work skills interfaced with a 
static object without bother to a larger context? As to interpretation 
of a structure, though, I would say that a sensitivity to the signs of 
the individual craftsperson, good or bad, is significant. Corollary to 
this a person experienced in trade work that reflects and thinks I feel 
would tend to be more sensitive to the evidence than an individual who 
is not tactile oriented in their world view.

Yesterday I heard second-hand that our Jamaican partner on being 
informed as to how to identify water-sawn marks could relate that he had 
seen the technique used in Jamaica.

In recent investigation of a stained glass installation when we 
uncovered the fasteners I said to myself in a flash, "Ok, now I 
understand." I then went on to explain to my son how it comes about that 
I have been on work crews where if the screw did not go in then you were 
instructed to hit it with a mash hammer. Been there, done that. Can't 
say I feel particularly good to admit my own vast ignorance in my youth.

You relate with the grist mill having met an intelligent builder... for 
me quite often I get to see evidence of unintelligent builders.

][<en

> The subject of "What were they thinking?!"

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