ABSTRACT
J.B. Jackson wrote about the ways that everyday experiences and the totality of natural and built environments act together to create a “sense of place.” In this selection he investigates the concept of public places in the American landscape and shows how shifting social and cultural norms have transformed the ways Americans view and use open space. He also discusses the notion of “public space” in the context of a culture that places emphasis on private ownership in a country that has consumed so much of the natural landscape. Jackson argues for the ways that public space should be viewed as places that create a venue for a diverse and fragmented society to seek solace and enhance the transmission of a common set of experiences. He states: “We do well to encourage the creation of all such spaces combining recreation with knowledge of nature and our past. Their popularity is their best reason for existing.”
