Abstract:
Contemporary issues distract residents and community leaders from appreciating the unique social and physical characteristics of their established community. Strong historical backgrounds provide a rich, identifiable character that allows a small town to change and meet the needs of a diverse population. A community's mindset, however, is that new structures, new forms, and new patterns of development are always better than historical structures, forms, and patterns. Without help, these communities lack the ability to move from a neglected historical town towards a viable future community. Fortville, Indiana, provides a perfect test case to address these issues. On a generic level, economics, social values, and political interests will be evaluated according to their relationship with the marketing and use of resources that are available within and outside the town of Fortville. Physical organization and aesthetic quality of the town core became the focus of the study.Fortville is a small town of 2800 residents in east-central Indiana. The landscape architect was best suited to help the small town incorporate its explicit, historical town character and physical organization.
