The results of the 8th annual Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) Challenge, Documenting City or Town Parks, were announced at the HALS Meeting of the ASLA Annual Meeting and EXPO on Saturday, October 21, 2017 in Los Angeles. Congratulations to the winners!
1st Place: Lee Park (Emancipation Park), HALS VA-78
Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Virginia
By Liz Sargent, FASLA, Liz Sargent HLA, and Jennifer Trompetter, Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects
2nd Place: McKinley Park, HALS CA-133
Sacramento, Sacramento County, California
By Douglas Nelson, ASLA, RHAA Landscape Architects
3rd Place: Enright Park, HALS PA-31
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
By Angelique Bamberg
Sponsored by the National Park Service, cash prizes were awarded to the top 3 submissions. This challenge resulted in the donation of 27 impressive HALS short format historical reports from 15 states to the HALS collection. The list is below. This year’s theme was selected in keeping with the 2016 National Park Service Centennial and the FIND YOUR PARK campaign. Find Your Park is about more than just national parks! It’s also about local parks and the many ways that the American public can connect with history and culture and make new discoveries. With more than 80% of Americans living in urban areas, urban parks are becoming more important than ever. Again, Landscape Architecture Magazine graciously provided full page ads for the 2017 HALS Challenge in the April and May issues.
Honorable Mentions:
Eisenhower Park, HALS RI-2
Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island
By Elena M. Pascarella, RLA, ASLA, HALS liaison RI Chapter ASLA, with collaboration from: Tanya Kelley, Landscape Designer, Principal, PLACEstudio, LLC, and RI Historic Preservation Commissioner; Acadia Cummings Stevens, BA, Classical Civilization, Wheaton College 2017; Jonathan Dexter Stevens, MCP, urban planner and Rhode Island State Historic Preservation Officer 2013-15; Kate Dana, Associate, PLACEstudio, LLC; and Mary Stuart Wiggins, Landscape Intern, PLACEstudio, LLC
Marshall Square Park, HALS PA-32
West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania
By Anne F. Walters, RLA, ASLA, Friends of Marshall Square Park; Jeffery C. Beitel, AIA, Friends of Marshall Square Park; and Barry G. Stingel, RLA, ASLA
Clemson University School of Architecture, Master of Science in Historic Preservation, group effort to document the parks of Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina
Cannon Park, HALS SC-15, by Alix Barrett and Claire Bushemi
Colonial Lake, HALS SC-16, by Kristina Poston and Mary Fesak
Marion Square, HALS SC-17, by Kate Gallotta and Katie Martin
Washington Square Park, HALS SC-18, by Diana Inthavong and Torie McCollu
White Point Gardens, HALS SC-19, by Matt Amiss and Lauren Lindsey
Faculty Sponsor: Carter L. Hudgins, Director, Clemson University & College of Charleston, Graduate Program in Historic Preservation, Department of Planning, Development and Preservation
The 17 other outstanding entries:
Alvina Himmel Park, HALS AZ-20
By Jaimie Luria, Molly Adamowicz, Student ASLA, and Gina Chorover, ASLA
Valley of the Moon, HALS AZ-21
By Susan Bierer, Jaimie Luria, and Gina Chorover, ASLA
Washington Park, HALS AZ-22
By Stephanie Badurski, Susan Bierer, and Gina Chorover, ASLA
William Land Park, WPA Rock Garden, HALS CA-134
By Melissa Mourkas
Marble Mill Site Park, HALS CO-16
By Kate Bolton, Student ASLA
Sarasota Point, HALS FL-26
By Darbi Lynne Davis, ASLA
William G. Irwin Memorial Park, HALS HI-28
By Tina Bushnell and Wendie McAllaster, ASLA
SWEPCO Park, HALS LA-11
By William Hartman, ASLA, and Jennifer R. Hill
Benton Park, HALS MO-7
By Susan Mattison, ASLA
Lincoln Park, HALS NY-12
By Patrick Alexander, Student ASLA, Anna Obermayer, and John E. Auwaerter, ASLA
Schiller Park, HALS NY-13
By Jennifer Lauer, Lauren Skye Archer, and John E. Auwaerter, ASLA
Sunnycrest Park, HALS NY-14
By Nicole Fragnito, Anna McGovern, and John E. Auwaerter, ASLA
Medina Public Square, HALS OH-12
By Jeff Knopp, ASLA
Battery Park Extension, HALS VT-8
By Terry Boyle, FASLA, and Michael J. Buscher, ASLA
Danville Green, HALS VT-9
By Julia Grey and Richard Amore
Fuller Park, HALS VT-10
By Devin Colman
Badger Park, HALS WI-16
By Cory J. Ritterbusch
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 2018 with a new theme, Memorialization, Commemorating the Great War. This theme honors the centennial of the end of World War I, the Great War. Not only were traditional monuments constructed across the country following the armistice, but “living memorials,” which honored the dead with schools, libraries, bridges, parks and other public infrastructure were designed to be both useful and symbolic at the same time. These sites are in all areas of the country. We challenge you to find them and document them. Short format histories should be submitted to HALS at the NPS no later than July 31, 2018 (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 at the 2018 ASLA Annual Meeting and EXPO in Philadelphia during the HALS Meeting.
Look for more information on the 2018 HALS Challenge here on The Field next month.
Thank you to all entrants for expanding the HALS collection and raising awareness of the historic park landscapes you documented!
by Chris Stevens, ASLA, NPS HALS Landscape Architect, Past Chair of the Historic Preservation PPN, and current ASLA HALS Subcommittee Chair / Coordinator