Great post David. The lack of parity in the application of the National
Register is reason enough to give it time to grow and overcome past
oversights. The corporate vermin who are attacking it and the protective
process are concerned ONLY about bucks in their pockets over the next four
quarters. This venality is encouraged by the so-called "moral" leaders of
our political institutions at the moment who also short-change education to
separate all americans from their history.

As a footnote, in North Carolina, and south through the pine forests, the
dirt rims of the "boil-off" rings of turpentine production are commonly
found as silent witnesses of the naval stores industry, manned first by
slaves, and later by "free" blacks which was one of the economic backbones
of the south, even after tobacco and cotton ascended. Don't bother looking
for artifacts -- those who built them had nothing to leave behind.
Tim T.