The Field

The results of the 7th annual Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) Challenge, Documenting National Register Listed Landscapes, were announced during the HALS Meeting at the ASLA Annual Meeting and EXPO on Saturday, October 22, 2016 in New Orleans. Congratulations to the winners!

1st Place: Empire Ranch, HALS AZ-19
Greaterville vicinity, Pima County, Arizona
By Gina Chorover, MLA, Heritage Conservation Program, University of Arizona; Helen Erickson, MLA, Drachman Institute, University of Arizona; Robin Pinto, Ph.D., Consultant; and University of Arizona Heritage Conservation Program Student Researchers: Abrar Abdullah H. Alkadi, Heather Leigh Havelka, Armando Lagunas, Gabrielle Miller, Taira Lynn Newman, Genna Renee Vande­Stouwe, Jessica Paola Estrada, Rachelle Hornby, Nicole Lavely, Kathryn Elizabeth McKinney, and Chelsea Parraga

2nd Place (Tie):
Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace, Garden, HALS GA-4
Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia
By Daves Rossell, Ph.D., Professor of Architectural History, Savannah College of Art and Design, and his students: Anthony Nicholas, Stephanie Heher, Carleigh Hessian, Ricardo Chiuz, Paul Fritz, Chelsea Lyle, and Lois Watts

Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Commemorative Groves, HALS VA-66
Along the Potomac River from McLean to Mount Vernon, Virginia
By Paul Kelsch, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Landscape Architecture Program, Virginia Tech, Washington Alexandria Architecture Center

3rd Place: Lincoln Park, Lily Pool, HALS IL-15-A
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
By Melanie Bishop and Meredith Stewart, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Historic Preservation Program with Faculty Sponsor Charles Pipal, AIA

Honorable Mentions:
Wilcox Park, HALS RI-1
Westerly, Washington County, Rhode Island
By Elena M. Pascarella, RLA, ASLA, with assistance from Richard Sheridan, RLA, ASLA, Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of Rhode Island; Alan Peck, Superintendent of Wilcox Park; and Students from the University of Rhode Island Landscape Architecture Program: Brynn Armstrong, Brian Bieszard, Emily Condon, Benjamin Congdon, Romeo D’Andrea, Gabriella D’Angelis, Zack Driver, Pabel Fernandez, Olivia Fow, Casey Harrington, Kelvin Huang, Brian Males, Katie Meegan, Kyle Savistano, Joseph Tricarico, and Emma Winkler

Justin Smith Morrill Homestead, HALS VT-6
Town of Strafford, Orange County, Vermont
By Devin Colman, State Historic Preservation Office, Montpelier, Vermont

Brook Road Plaza, HALS VA-70
Richmond, Virginia
By Liz Sargent, HLA, Charlottesville, Virginia

Sponsored by the National Park Service, cash prizes were awarded to the top 3 submissions. This challenge resulted in the donation of 43 impressive HALS short format historical reports and a few measured drawings and large format photographs to the HALS collection. The full list is below. This high number of entries is second only to 2014’s HALS Challenge, Documenting Landscapes of the New Deal, for which there were 47 entries. Two of the entries represent the very first HALS documentation of any kind for their state: Wilcox Park, HALS RI-1 for Rhode Island and Mukai Farm, HALS WA-1 for Washington.

The 43 entries by state:

Arizona
+Empire Ranch, HALS AZ-19

Arkansas
+Hicks Hotel and Store, HALS AR-6

California
+Golden Gate Park, HALS CA-49
+Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park, HALS CA-130
+The George White and Anna Gunn Marston House, Gardens, HALS CA-131
+John Muir National Historic Site, HALS CA-132

Colorado
+Arapahoe Acres, HALS CO-15

District of Columbia
+Woodrow Wilson House, Garden Parterre, HALS DC-53
+The Causeway, HALS DC-54
+Meridian Hill Park, Noyes Armillary Sphere, HALS DC-55
+Freer Gallery of Art, Courtyard, HALS DC-56
+Pan American Union Building, Blue Aztec Garden and Aztec Fountain, HALS DC-57

Florida
+Downtown Boca Grande Historic District, HALS FL-18
+Saint Augustine Town Plan Historic District, HALS FL-24
+Lincoln Road Mall, HALS FL-25

Georgia
+Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace, Garden, HALS GA-4
+Savannah -Ogeechee Canal, HALS GA-5

Illinois
+Lincoln Park, Lily Pool, HALS IL-15-A

Louisiana
+Crowell Sawmill Historic District, HALS LA-10

Mississippi
+Friendship Cemetery, HALS MS-4

New York
+Warner Castle, Sunken Garden, HALS NY-10
+Oriskany Battlefield, HALS NY-11

Ohio
+Great Serpent Mound, HALS OH-9
+Seip Earthworks and Dill Mounds District, HALS OH-10
+Hunt-Wilke Farm, HALS OH-11

Pennsylvania
+Curtis Arboretum, HALS PA-29
+Awbury Historic District, HALS PA-30

Rhode Island
+Wilcox Park, HALS RI-1

South Carolina
+Simmons-Edwards House, HALS SC-11
+Nathaniel Russell House, HALS SC-12
+McLeod Plantation, HALS SC-13
+William Blacklock House, HALS SC-14

Texas
+Bayou Bend, HALS TX-11

Vermont
+Taylor Park, HALS VT-5
+Justin Smith Morrill Homestead, HALS VT-6
+Goddard College, Greatwood Campus and Gardens, HALS VT-7

Virginia
+Salona, HALS VA-65
+Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Commemorative Groves, HALS VA-66
+Barboursville, HALS VA-67
+Green Spring, HALS VA-68
+Daughters of Zion Cemetery, HALS VA-69
+Brook Road Plaza, HALS VA-70

Washington
+Mukai Farm, HALS WA-1

The Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) was created in 2000 as a federal program to document historic landscapes in the United States and its territories. Documentation is critical to preserving these significant sites for the benefit of future generations. Like its companion programs, the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) and the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), HALS produces written and graphic records used by educators, land managers, and preservation planners as well as the general public.

The National Park Service (NPS) administers the planning and operation of HALS, standardizes formats and develops guidelines for recording landscapes, and catalogs and/or publishes the information when appropriate. The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) provides professional guidance and technical advice for the program through its Historic Preservation Professional Practice Network. The Library of Congress (LOC) accepts and preserves HALS documents, furnishes reproductions of material, and makes records available to the public.

The HALS office is continuing the challenge again in 2017 with a new theme, Documenting City or Town Park(s), chosen to celebrate these vital urban pleasure grounds and to continue the NPS Find Your Park movement. Short format histories should be submitted to HALS at the NPS no later than July 31, 2017 (c/o Chris Stevens, 202-354-2146, Chris_Stevens@nps.gov). Sponsored by HALS, cash prizes will again be awarded to the top three submissions. Results will be announced during the HALS Meeting at the 2017 ASLA Annual Meeting and EXPO in Los Angeles.

Look for more information on the 2017 HALS Challenge here on The Field next month.

Thank you to all entrants for expanding the HALS collection and raising awareness of the historic landscapes they documented. 2016 is a big year for the National Park Service with its centennial and with the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act. Thank you for helping us celebrate!

by Chris Stevens, ASLA, NPS HALS Landscape Architect, Past Chair of the Historic Preservation PPN, and current Chair / Coordinator of the HP-PPN HALS Subcommittee