2021 Meem Trades Intern: Flynn Larson

In 2021, for the second year in a row, Historic Santa Fe Foundation’s long-standing Faith and John Gaw Meem Preservation Trades Internship had to be canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In previous years, the internship spanned 10 weeks during the summer months, but when the time to make arrangements came around last winter and early spring, it did not yet feel feasible. By later in the year, however, a modified version of the program had been conceived. We moved ahead with what was referred to in the office as a “mini” internship.

In October 2021, we welcomed Flynn Larson for some autumn projects. Flynn is a Santa Fe resident who is working remotely on a degree in Historic Preservation from Goucher College. In addition to her work with HSFF, she is also currently interning with the National Parks Service, the latest in a number of internships and other roles she has held with them, and she volunteers as the Architectural Historian for the City of Santa Fe’s Historic Districts Review Board.

Those who have walked down Canyon Road in the last few weeks may have seen Flynn at work, as she put a coat of mud plaster on the adobe courtyard wall at the entry to El Zaguán in anticipation of winter weather. This is important cyclical maintenance in addition to being a bit of fun. She also assisted with a hands on window restoration workshop hosted at the Hesch House in September and October – the first in what we hope will be an ongoing series of hands on learning opportunities. It has been a delight working with Flynn, and we hope she will continue her involvement with HSFF as she is a great asset to preservation in Santa Fe. — Mara Saxer, HSFF Preservation Specialist