Unearthing Community Narratives
We believe that historic preservation is about unearthing community narratives. It is never just about saving an old building. It is about listening to the land and the people who shaped it, and helping communities rediscover the stories that already belong to them. Whether we are working on a small neighborhood park or helping a […]
The Four Types of Historic Landscapes
Historic & Cultural Landscapes The documentation and preservation of historic landscapes is a relatively new and often misunderstood branch of the preservation movement. Unfortunately, many significant landscapes are lost before their value is fully recognized. While historic landscapes frequently provide important context for buildings and structures, they can also exist independently or encompass broader cultural […]
Stilwell’s Sentinel Trees Bear Witness
This article by retired Io principal Susan Crook was published in the June 2014 Union Vedette, the newsletter of the Fort Douglas Military Museum. Please note that some of this site’s physical appearance may have changed in the intervening years. Stilwell Field has played an essential role at Fort Douglas from the founding of the […]
What Is the National Register of Historic Places, and Why Does It Matter?
At Io LandArch, we work on historic places (landscapes, buildings, and districts) across Utah and Idaho with one core goal: helping communities uncover, understand, and carry forward their shared stories. Historic preservation is not just about protecting old places; it is also about strengthening identity, continuity, and a sense of belonging. Much of this work […]
Why Reconnaissance Level Surveys Matter
Every building and landscape tells a story—and when we look at a neighborhood as a whole, those stories weave together into a record of community history. Reconnaissance level surveys (RLSs) capture this history by systematically documenting large groups of buildings across a community. As the most basic approach to historic survey work in Utah, they […]
The Wattis House: A Case Study in Prairie Style Landscape Preservation
The E.O. Wattis House landscape is a great example of preservation of an Arts & Crafts landscape. The project included envisioning a period appropriate landscape; incorporating historic research, landscape inventory and assessment; practicing historic preservation and rehabilitation; and re-creating a prairie school garden. Prominent local architect Eber Piers designed the Wattis House, constructed in 1914. […]
Preservation of Prairie Style Arts & Crafts Landscapes
As awareness of historic preservation increases, more homeowners are restoring their historic homes, including many unique Prairie Style Arts & Crafts Landscapes in Utah. The treatment of the surrounding landscape constitutes an important component of any rehabilitation or restoration process. In many instances, all or portions of the landscapes that surround historic homes have historic […]
Resources for Historic Landscape Preservation
We wrap up this 4-part blog series with an article on resources for historic landscape preservation. When it comes to preserving our historic landscapes, we can draw on the experience of its parent movements. These include earlier historic preservation victories and the environmental conservation movement. Background The Historic American Landscape Survey (HALS) is the companion […]
Threats to Historic Landscapes
We lose many historic landscapes in Utah before they can be identified. However, several threats can affect even identified and recognized historic landscapes. Threats Neglect & Mismanagement Neglect stands as both a common threat, and one of the most difficult of threats to address. Throughout the state of Utah, the neglect, or improper management of […]
Utah’s Historical Landscapes
Introduction Because Utah’s historical landscapes are a direct result of our cultural history and historic interactions with the landscape, the periods of landscape history correlate with significant periods in Utah history. According to Esther Truitt in her 1986 thesis, the history of Utah and the resulting landscapes can be broken down into four periods. These […]
What is Historic Landscape Preservation?
Historic landscape preservation is a smaller, and often misunderstood, field within the broader preservation movement, but it is vital for understanding and conserving the environmental and cultural narratives of places. In Utah, many historic landscapes disappear before their full significance is recognized. These landscapes are not merely backdrops for historic buildings; rather, they are integral […]
Sunnyfield Barn: An Example of Efficiency
The following is an abbreviated history of the Sunnyfield Barn prepared by our friend Rhonda Lauritzen of Evalogue.Life as part of our successful nomination of the Sunnyfield Barn in Eden Utah to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). This Improvement Era dairy barn is now one of only two buildings in Ogden Valley to […]
3 Strategies for Vibrant Communities
Introduction Recently, I shared an overview of our three core principles for community revitalization on Io LandArch’s social media channels. When creating this content, it struck me that there’s much more to delve into on this subject, along with some pertinent case studies. So, let’s dive in… Whether your community is expansive or compact, we […]
Lessons from Cemetery Design
To be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it takes more than just being old. These historic sites undergo a thorough process of researching, writing and reviewing. But the deciding factor has to do with how it stands out in the history of the region or the nation. Io LandArch recently completed the […]