Lalah Hazelwood

director of historic preservation jean-luc howell newfields

Jean-Luc and his girlfriend drove from Indianapolis to Philadelphia and then to Asheville, N.C., staying with friends or at Airbnb rentals. During the 10-day trip, they checked out historic sites including Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio; Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania; the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library in Winterthur, Delaware; and the Biltmore Estate in Asheville. Along the way, he also took wax rubbings of manhole covers. Doing the rubbings is a project I started when living in New York City and it’s a great way to record places I’ve been. Cities and communities use manhole covers to provide a sense of place and tell a bit about their identity. It's a great record of the built environment and local history.

At the Winterthur Museum, the retail manager spotted Jean-Luc doing a wax rubbing of the site’s custom manhole covers. He explained his project, and she offered her business card so they could discuss opportunities for his creating items for their shop. You never know how people are going to react, thinking I may be defacing property. Once they understand the process, people find the project interesting and they see their community a little differently. Even though he manages two National Historic Landmarks at Newfields, Jean-Luc hasn’t had the time or ability to visit other such cultural sites. The Creative Renewal experience gave him a new perspective of the work he does. I found that the issues I face at my job are not unique. Traveling to other sites allowed for comparisons and showed me how rich the local cultural sites are in Indianapolis and Central Indiana.

"During a difficult year that left many people feeling disconnected, the trip allowed my girlfriend and me to share experiences and connect in a new and different way."

Jean-Luc Howell

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