SOCIETY FOR COMMERCIAL ARCHEOLOGY – CONFERENCE CALL FOR PAPERS

Wildwood, New Jersey, September 26-29, 2012

“Wildwood Daze” - Join the Society for Commercial Archeology’s (SCA) 35th anniversary conference in Wildwood, New Jersey, on September 26-29, 2012.  The largest collection of mid-century resort architecture in the United States beckons from this community along the New Jersey shore. Tours will offer an opportunity to contrast cultural landscapes from the “Doo Wop” resort era of the 1950s and 1960s with nineteenth-century seaside tourism sites like Cape May. The conference will include paper sessions on Friday, September 28.  Prospective speakers are encouraged to submit abstracts on topics exploring transportation’s role in the growth of tourism in coastal New Jersey and the Mid-Atlantic from the late nineteenth through twentieth centuries, mid-century motel architecture, and innovative preservation strategies for historic roadside tourist facilities (restaurants, gas stations and motels) and tourism sites. However, any topics related to the 20th century commercial landscape are welcome. SCA recognizes the unique historical significance of the 20th-century commercial built environment and cultural landscapes of North America, emphasizing the impact of the automobile and the commercial process. SCA carries out projects of documentation, education, advocacy and conservation to encourage public awareness and understanding of these significant elements of our heritage. In addition to its biennial conference, SCA publishes a Journal of articles on roadside topics twice each year. SCA welcomes proposals from presenters eager to share their investigations into the history and architecture of the American roadside with a diverse audience of preservationists, stewards, academics, writers, photographers, and others. To propose a conference presentation, please submit a typewritten abstract of no more than 250 words and the following:

• Title of presentation
• Name, title, and occupation of speaker(s)
• Business mailing address and telephone number
• Email address
• Brief resume or curriculum vitae

More than one abstract may be submitted.  Typical presentation length will be 20 minutes.  Please follow the two guiding principles in making a presentation at an SCA conference: make it visual and make it fun! Abstracts must be received by May 31, 2012 by: Blythe Semmer, Conference Committee Society for Commercial Archeology P.O. Box 2500 Little Rock, AR  72203 Or via email to:  jbs2339 [at] yahoo.com Don’t miss the Wildwood Daze and this landmark gathering celebrating 35 years of SCA. Conference registration information will be available in early summer at www.sca-roadside.org.