Introduction

The Concept of uniqueness is often illusive and very difficult to clearly express or define when it
concerns a specific place. Throughout the world, however, exist places which people categorizes as
unique and the mention of them can bring forth strong mental images of a remembered or imagined
character.

We have assigned values to these places, and these values have manifested themselves in
creative works which express the placer and create a desire to visit or return to them. We only need to
view the photography of Ansel Adams, read Lawrence Durrell,or enjoy the color slides of a tourist just
returned to see human expressions of perceived uniqueness or spirit of place.

While these and other works have sought to promote,explain,record,protect,enchance, or stand

in awe,they all share the common belief that there exist a special uniqueness of each place which can be
identified, understood, and communicated to others

Places such as the South of France; the English Cotswolds; the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia;
the Texas Hill Country; Paris; Istanbul; Positano; Santa Fe; New Mexico; the greek Island; and Hanalei are
regions,cities, and town which possess recognized uniquess or spirit of place.

Places such as these are commonly accepted as special; however; the attention they receive
often overshadows the fact that each and every place has some measure of unique expression or
quality. An important aspect of this book is its argument that all places have some special aspects, and
not Have worldwide acclaim to justify concern for their protection from the impact of deleterious
change. Each of these places will contain locally special attributes which produce a spirit of place, and a
sense of belonging and well being among a places people. The ingredients which produce these
attributes are based upon: (1) Aspects of the existing natural environment such as land form and
topografy, vegetation, climate, and the presence of water; (2) cultural expressions such as bridges, forts,
or hilitop churches which are a reaction to landscape, social history, psysical location, human activities,
and a place as a cultural artifact ( a place’s meaning beyond its physical expresson such as Yorktown,
Virginia, due to its historical significance) : and (3) the sensory experience, primarily visual, which results
from the interaction of culture with the existing landscape. The holistic interaction of the ingredients
which produce a place’s attributes are frequenly not understood by the local population until they have
been unalterably lost: and are, therefore,very vulnerable to unoplanned change.

An unfortune reality is that many of these special places have undergone rapid change as a
result of such activities as industrialization, real estate speculation, transportation expansion, urban
growth, shitfs in population and organized torism. This change has altered image, character and even
meaning as the original attributes which gave a place its character have been destroyed or altered.
While much of the change is positive, perhaps even required for economic revitalization, iy has often
happened to the detriment to the original character of the place in which it has occured