Appendix A: Site History and Landscape Analysis Cultural Landscape Overview and Analysis
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APPENDIX A: SITE HISTORY AND LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OVERVIEW AND ANALYSIS This section provides an integrated understanding of the environmental and Historic Designed Landscape. A landscape that was consciously designed cultural context of the Spring Lake Park Reserve landscape to inform the planning or laid out by a landscape architect, master gardener, architect, or process. It begins with an overview of the significance of the landscape, followed horticulturist according to design principles, or an amateur gardener working in a recognized style or tradition. The landscape may be associated with a by a chronological narrative illustrated with graphics explaining the changes that significant person(s), trend, or event in landscape architecture; or illustrate an have occurred to the physical landscape over time. Next, the existing condition important development in the theory and practice of landscape architecture. of the landscape is evaluated in relation to the significant historic themes, and Aesthetic values play a significant role in designed landscapes. Examples aspects of the landscape that potentially contribute to the historic significance of include parks, campuses, and estates. the property are clearly identified. Historic Vernacular Landscape. A landscape that evolved through use by the people whose activities or occupancy shaped that landscape. Through social The inventory and analysis has been undertaken using a cultural landscape or cultural attitudes of an individual, family or a community, the landscape approach according to federal standards including A Guide to Cultural Landscape reflects the physical, biological, and cultural character of those everyday Reports: Contents, Process, and Techniques, The Secretary of the Interior’s lives. Function plays a significant role in vernacular landscapes. They can be a Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for the single property such as a farm or a collection of properties such as a district of Treatment of Cultural Landscapes, and other pertinent documents.1 This approach historic farms along a river valley. Examples include rural villages, industrial uses a foundation of historical documentation as a basis for understanding the complexes, and agricultural landscapes. evolution of significant landscapes. The site history builds on research conducted Historic Site. A landscape significant for its association with a historic event, 2 for the 2003 Spring Lake Park Reserve Master Plan. activity, or person. Examples include battlefields and presidential house properties. This document identifies potentially significant resources based on existing research for the master plan. There is a formal process for determining Ethnographic Landscape. A landscape containing a variety of natural and significance which has not occurred for resources within Spring Lake Park cultural resources that associated people define as heritage resources. Reserve. Examples are contemporary settlements, religious sacred sites and massive geological structures. Small plant communities, animals, subsistence and ceremonial grounds are often components.4 WHAT IS A CULTURAL LANDSCAPE? A cultural landscape is “a geographic area, including both cultural and natural Terminology and approaches to support integration of Indigenous cultural values resources and the wildlife or domestic animals therein, associated with a historic into mainstream evaluation and planning processes have been developing over event, activity, or person or exhibiting other cultural or aesthetic values.”3 There the past several decades. The concepts of Traditional Cultural Property (TCP) are four general types of cultural landscapes, which are not mutually exclusive: and Indigenous Cultural Landscape (ICL) have been developed as approaches historic sites, historic designed landscapes, historic vernacular landscapes, and for thinking about landscapes more cohesively than earlier definitions of ethnographic landscapes. ethnographic landscapes. The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) recognizes Traditional Cultural Properties (TCP) as physical properties or places eligible for inclusion in the National Register if they are associated with the continuing cultural identity of a living community and retain integrity.5 The type of property and evaluation of integrity must meet the standard NRHP criteria (listed in the next section), which A-2 6.22.21 DAKOTA COUNTY SPRING LAKE PARK MASTER PLAN UPDATE CULTURAL LANDSCAPE SIGNIFICANCE can be difficult to reconcile with Indigenous values for cultural sites. Spring Lake Park Reserve includes both historic vernacular landscapes associated with early Euroamerican settlement, development of the town of Indigenous Cultural Landscape (ICL) is a term used to address places that Nininger, and local agriculture; and ethnographic landscapes (Traditional Cultural supported American Indian lifeways and settlements in the early 17th century, Properties and culturally sensitive sites) associated with living Indigenous and is the terminology used in this report. The concept communities. “…recognizes and respects that Indian cultures lived within the context of their WHAT IS THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES? environment, although not in the stereotypical sense of living in harmony with The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States government’s the environment. American Indian peoples lived around major waterways official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects (all called within large, varied landscapes, with which they were intimately familiar. “properties”) worthy of preservation. The list is kept by the National Park Service.7 They used different parts of those landscapes in different ways: for food, medicine, and clothing procurement, for making tools and objects related to Significance is the meaning or value ascribed to a structure, landscape, object, or transportation and the household, for agriculture, and for settlements…. [T] site based on the National Register criteria for evaluation. The National Register o be effective in such a society, both men and women had to be familiar with of Historic Places recognizes districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that very large areas of land and water, and be able to remember and travel to the fulfill at least one of four criteria of significance and possess integrity. Integrity is appropriate places for gathering particular plants, acquiring stone for tools, or the ability of a property to convey its significance.8 hunting particular species of animals.”6 Criterion A. Properties that are associated with events that have made a In fall 2020, the Upper Sioux Community Tribal Historic Preservation Office significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history; or conducted a Traditional Cultural Properties Survey for portions of the park.1 The survey identified TCPs and culturally sensitive areas within the boundaries Criterion B. Properties that are associated with the lives of persons significant of the park, and evaluated the cultural significance of known archaeological in our past; or sites. A Traditional Cultural Property, as defined by the National Park Service, Criterion C. Properties that embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, is a “property that is eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic period, or method of construction, or that represent the work of a master, Places (NRHP) based on its associations with the cultural practices, traditions, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and beliefs, lifeways, arts, crafts, or social institutions of a living community. TCPs are distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or rooted in a traditional community’s history and are important in maintaining the continuing cultural identity of the community.”2 The 2020 survey defines culturally Criterion D. Properties that have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information sensitive areas as “locations that contain elements of a TCP or have proximity to important in history or prehistory.9 identified cultural properties.”3 1 Upper Sioux Community Tribal Historic Preservation Office,“ Spring Lake Park Reserve Traditional Cultural Properties Survey,” on file at Dakota County, November 9, 2020. 2 National Park Service, “Bulletin 38: Guidelines for Evaluating and Documenting Traditional Cultural Properties” U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Interagency Resources Division, 1. 3 Upper Sioux Community Tribal Historic Preservation Office,“ Spring Lake Park Reserve Traditional Cultural Properties Survey,” on file at Dakota County, November 9, 2020. SITE HISTORY AND LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS 6.22.21 A-3 CULTURAL LANDSCAPE SIGNIFICANCE POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT VERNACULAR LANDSCAPE SIGNIFICANT ETHNOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE (TRADITIONAL Although there are currently no portions of the study area that are listed on the CULTURAL PROPERTIES AND CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT SITES) National Register of Historic Places, this framework can be used to evaluate the Ethnographic significance of the landscape was reviewed by Tribal Historic potential significance and integrity of historic resources within the park. Preservation Officers of associated Indigenous tribes and nations for inclusion in this plan. Ethnographic significance of the landscape was reviewed by Tribal The McCarriel’s Mill site may be locally significant under Criterion A related to Historic Preservation