In the face of strong opposition from preservationists, the Walt Disney Co. recently abandoned plans to build a $650 million history theme park in Virginia's heritage-rich Piedmont. The company's pullout pointed to the preservation movement's increasing clout, but it also raised two longstanding criticisms: that preservationists are anti-development and that they tend to embrace elitist values. Preservationists respond that most of the nation's designated historic sites actually reflect the accomplishments and views of a broad cross-section of American society, and that the anti-Disney campaign succeeded because it had grass-roots support all across the country. One thing seems likely: As preservationists increasingly challenge business interests over quality-of-life issues, additional battles are inevitable.
