They save everything’s bigger in Texas, and in this case, the selfies are no exception. Although Harris County’s plan to save the Houston Astrodome was vetoed back in November, a demolition date hasn’t been set for the iconic structure. As part of a last-ditch effort to save the Eighth Wonder of the World, Astrodome supporters have taken to Twitter and Instagram to show their love for the structure. How? In the form of #SaveTheDome selfies.
I spy with my little eye a true wonder of the world. #SaveTheDome #RodeoHouston pic.twitter.com/Dwi6iJopym
— Our Astrodome (@OurAstrodome) March 22, 2014
A Twitter account called Our Astrodome has appeared and has promoted the use of the hashtag, frequently taking #SaveTheDome-themed selfies and retweeting those submitted by others.
@OurAstrodome three 15 year olds & all we want is to save the dome. #savethedome pic.twitter.com/AobbaaFjYV
— mack (@hollermackgirl) March 23, 2014
Although the activity has, so far, not resulted in any major advancements for the cause, it has helped bolster the movement in its own way. The account promotes a link to contact Harris County officials, and the selfie phenomenon has been covered by the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s blog.
It’s unclear how much of an impact the social media activity will have on the preservation efforts, but it does represent part of the ever-growing movement to incorporate history and preservation efforts with social media. Last year, I had the opportunity to contribute to a campaign focused on restoring Chicago’s Essanay Studios — one of the first and last silent film studios in the world. We, too, focused on a grassroots effort, using crowdfunding to raise restoration funds, and growing brand awareness through social media. Film historians are also turning to crowdfunded campaigns to restore deteriorating and long-forgotten films. These efforts, and others like these, continue to illustrate how influential the use of social media can be, even for preserving buildings that were built long before the first computer.
Have you noticed similar preservation-themed social media campaigns popping up in your feeds? Share them with us!
