My question is two parts 1) What is the history of chain link fence in
America? When did it start to be used and when was it most used? Etc..
And 2) Why do rational 'educated' people hate chain link fence? The
second question refers to the average Historical Renovation guidelines
that in most cities, in Historical Neighorhoods, ban the use of chain
link fence. My contention is
that Chain Link is historical - it's been around - as woven wire fence
- since 1873 - it's American? So why do we as a culture - think so
lowly of chain link? Why do we think it's ugly and non-historical?
What are the aesthetics that contribute to this very common of
thoughts?
My own quick research brings me to the following links:
http://www.geocities.com/yargostation/yargostation3.html
http://www.westernwireprod.com/ourstory.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_fencing
http://www.georgetownland.com/earlyhis.html
http://www.mrsf.com/fence.htm
http://www.irational.org/cgi-bin/fence/links/admin.pl
http://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/forages/rotational/fencing/fence%20pictures/wovenwire.html
http://www.mrsf.com/fence.htm
http://www.vipd.gov.vi/home_sec.htm

And these links are interesting- but only a starting point. I can't
find anywhere on the net anybody who has commented historicaly on the bias
against chain link fence. The simple answer is that for some reason
people don't like the way it looks and have somehow come to feel that it's not
historical. But I think it is historical and the more complex answer -
I don't have. If some History buff wants to tackle the more complex
issues here (and I think this person should be very familiar with
American History - very hard to tackle this issue from India) then
please by all means dive in. I would be happy to pay $50 for a much more
comprehensive look at these issues.

Also - I don't have a month to spend on this - I need the answer in
the next week if possible. I go before the Historic Board in an old
Southwestern City (if that makes any difference historically) next
week. So please try and get this to me by next week if someone wants
to tackle it. It is July 16 now.