Mara DeWein - Maintenance Worker Preservationist

Mara removing graffiti off of one of the bronze figures on the Kościuszko monument located in Lafayette park Washington D.C.

NPS

What is your name and job title?
Mara DeWein. Job title: Maintenance Worker Preservationist.

What drove you to choose your career path? How did you go about getting your job?
When I was in my early twenties, I was working as a nurses aid and fabricator at a welding shop trying to figure out what career path I wanted to choose. I knew that I loved being outdoors, working with my hands, but also putting my energy into something I truly cared about.

When I had the opportunity to work for the Historic Preservation Training Center; I took the chance, switched my career path, and haven’t looked back.

What do people under/over value about what you do?
I wouldn’t say there is any undervalue or overvalue of what I do. I do work in masonry, but I primarily work on historic monuments. When I talk about my career path to others, they seem to be impressed with the work we do at the Historic Preservation Training Center. I know that people may not agree on preserving every monument; but that doesn’t undervalue the preservation work being done.

Mara working on Fort Christiansted in Saint Croix to remove deteriorating cement on the Northwest bastion using a roofers pitch fork in preparation to lay a new pad.

NPS

What advice would you give to those aspiring to join your profession?
Surround yourself with people that want you to be better. That means engage with skilled and intelligent craftspeople that can teach you valuable skills, and show them that you are determined and capable for the position. That is how you would be successful in preservation and any career someone chooses.

What is your favorite part of being an (architect, project manager, contracting officer, etc.)?
My favorite part of my job is using my set of skills to conserve history. I am involved in preserving our nation’s history for future generations to enjoy. In some cases, I can learn about these historic structures along the way. Historic preservation is a very diverse profession.

Individuals can be involved by assessing and documenting treatment methods to being hands on conserving these historic structures. I am very proud of what I do and the team I work with because we make preserving monuments possible.

Are there any misconceptions people often have about your job? If so, what are they?
I would say misconceptions people have of preservation construction work would be the “glamour” of preservation. We are construction workers that work on historic structures. We are not just preserving historic structures, but creating solutions to preserve. In some cases, we are rebuilding stone walls, pouring new concrete pads, using a large propane torch to hot wax a monument, and in some cases digging trenches. This is not work for the lighthearted. This is work for people who are talented and passionate about preservation.

Another misconception could be the level of skill someone needs to preserve a historic structure. Someone that can assess a structure dating the architectural period, style, materials, method of treatment and execution of the task is not something that everyone would or could do; that is what makes us unique.