Historical LandscapesResources for Historic Landscape Preservation
Historic black and white image of Stilwell field

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 to the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS, 1933) and the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER, 1969). The National Park Service established HALS in 2000 to document landscapes that serve as tangible evidence of our nation’s heritage and development. The program facilitates the submission of written descriptions, measured drawings, and photographs to the Library of Congress where the records are kept for future generations. HALS itself does not protect against the destruction of historic landscapes. However a HALS takes the first step in the critical identification of historical landscapes.

Historic aerial drawing of the stillwell air field

 The University of Utah contracted with Io Landscape Architecture to study the feasibility of modifying Stilwell Field, the historic parade ground at Fort Douglas, for more intensive intramural soccer use. Io Landscape Architecture completed a HALS Short Form study to provide background for the Section 106 report we prepared. The study demonstrated that terracing the parade ground to accommodate two soccer fields would compromise its historic integrity. Io recommended smaller fields with minimal grading as a feasible alternative. 

Taking Steps Towards Preservation

Once identified, a historic landscape faces a number of possible steps towards its preservation. In some cases, local historic districts may include the landscape, and therefore protect it under the jurisdiction of a local landmarks commission. However, most of Utah landmarks commissions do not recognize the importance of historic landscapes. As a result, many allowing landscape changes without landmarks approval. Tragically, many municipalities modify historic streetscapes without understanding their relevance to the context of the entire historic district.

Sketch elevation of a historic Park City storefront

Io LandArch and Kirk Huffaker Preservation Strategies worked with Park City to advance their historic preservation goals. We created an updated and illustrated version of their historic district and historic site design guidelines to clarify the city’s vision for homes and businesses in order to preserve the iconic identity of Park City.

Land planners, environmental preservationists, and communities frequently use the designation of Preservation Easements and Transfer of Development Rights as a tool. These designations allow a property or combination of properties to remain in private hands, while simultaneously ensuring their continued existence. In some cases, the property owner will receive monetary compensation in exchange for the Easement or Transfer of Development rights.

 

Of course, many wonderful non-profit agencies, such as the Trust for Public lands, actively seek out threatened open spaces for purchase and preservation. However, they typically do not focus on historic landscapes.

 

As with buildings, once the historic resource has been defined and inventoried, we must next determine the proper course of action for its conservation. The secretary of the interior’s standards for rehabilitation also apply to historic landscapes, defined as follows:

 

  • Preservation 
  • Rehabilitation 
  • Restoration 
  • Reconstruction 

What Comes Next?

Over this blog series, we have established the framework for identifying historic landscapes in Utah along with a philosophy and methodology for their preservation. 

 

Next, we ought to look at all of the National Register listings for Utah and classify them according to the types of their historic landscapes. After compiling that list, we should ask, “What’s missing?’’ and fill in the obvious gaps. Then, we should re-examine the Register listings to determine the significance of the landscapes associated with documented historic resources. We need to link the designers, design styles, patrons, historic figures, events, and ethnic groups with the landscapes that are associated with them. With this new information and associations, we can reconsider the period(s) of significance. We can then amend the register listings with this landscape information. Finally, we ought to make new nominations for historic landscapes not already listed based on their association with other historic resources.

The Spiral Jetty extends into pink-tinted water in the Great Salt Lake

This past fall, the historic landscape preservation movement celebrated the naming of Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty, featured above, to the national record of historic places, thanks to Utah State Historic Preservation Office’s nomination. Milestones like these ought to encourage us all as we move forward in continuing to care for and preserve the historic landscapes around us. (Image courtesy of the Holt/Smithson Foundation)

For more information on our historic landscape preservation practice, visit our practice page here

[emaurri_core_instagram_list photos_number=”6″ columns_number=”3″ space=”tiny” image_resolution=”thumb” behavior=”columns”]