NetworkT^ ^T NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS ^M VOLUME II, No. 2 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS PROGRAM WINTER, 1999
19 New National Historic Landmarks Considered for Designation By Patty Henry
he Landmarks Committee Tmet on Monday, December 13, 1999 to discuss and recom mend 19 properties for NHL designation, one property for an NHL boundary change, and one property for withdrawal of designation. The Committee's recommenda tions were reported to the full Vdvisory Board at their meeting on December 14 and 15. The full Advisory Board then sent their recommendations forward to the Secretary of the Interior. A deci sion on these properties is pending Located in Greenwich Village, New York City, the Stonewall Inn was the focal point of a with the Secretary. series of disturbances during 1969 that led to the modern gay and lesbian civil rights movement. Photo courtesy Andrew Dolkart, 1999. The Landmarks Committee of the National Park System Advis ory Board reviewed and consid Landmarks Committee Congress Directs ered the following 16 properties Names New Members NHL Survey to Launch for a Committee report to the full Advisory Board for the Board's By Patty Henry School Desegregation recommendation to the Secretary Theme Study of the Interior for designation as he Landmarks Committee National Historic Landmarks. Tof the National Park By Turkiya Lowe and System Advisory Board is Susan Salvatore • Shenandoah-Dives responsible for reviewing the (Mayflower) Mill, San Juan documentation on properties n May 17, 1954, the U.S. County, Colorado. An innovative that have been proposed for OSupreme Court ruled in process known as flotation National Historic Landmark Brown v. Board of Education diverted the late 19th-century designation. of Topeka that "separate but crisis in the mining industry by equal" had no place in public Those properties that they efficiently and economically education and was unconstitu believe meet the NHL criteria are concentrating complex minerals recommended to the full NPS tional under the Fourteenth that were practically impossible Advisory Board for the Board's Amendment. to treat by earlier methods.
SEE PROPERTIES, PAGE 5, COLUMN 1 SEE MEMBERS, PAGE 8, COLUMN 3 SEE SCHOOL THEME, PAGE 9, COLUMN 2
New book on NHLs, see page 3. THE NHL SURVEY
Finding America's Treasures: The Role of the National Historic Landmarks Network National Historic Landmarks Survey Published by the National Park Service By John Sprinkle
Robert Stanton nyone can prepare a National Historic Landmark Director A nomination. The job of the National Historic Katherine H. Stevenson Landmarks Survey, in partnership with other NPS offices, Associate Director, Cultural Resource Stewardship and Partnerships is to foster the nomination of nationally significant places and Ronald M. Greenberg shepherd them through the designation process. Manager, National Center for Cultural To assist the public in preparing nominations, we have Resources Stewardship recently published a National Register Bulletin, How to and Partnership Programs Prepare National Historic Landmark Nominations. Currently de Teel Patterson Tiller 2,277 places bear the distinction of being a National Historic Chief, Heritage Preservation Services Landmark. Frank J.J. Miele, Editor One way the Survey identifies new NHLs is through Senior Historian, Southeast Regional Office "theme studies." Currently, theme studies on themes like Sharon C. Park, FAIA Earliest Americans, American Labor History, and the History Chief, Technical Preservation Services of Educational Desegregation in Public Schools are underway. Susan Escherich The Survey continues to process nominations based upon Coordinator, National Historic previously completed theme studies, such as one on Under Landmarks Assistance Initiative ground Railroad resources. Paula Cook NHL designation includes extensive public review. Twice NHL Network Coordinator yearly, the National Park System Advisory Board reviews rec Jerry Buckbinder ommendations of its Landmarks Committee, a volunteer Production Manager group of experts in history, architectural history, and historic
National Historic hwdmarks Network preservation, regarding NHL nominations. Based on these is published biauuuallv and is tree ef'eharpe. recommendations, the Secretary of the Interior designates [/•Iters and articles may be submitted to prank -I..1. Miele. Editor, NHL Network. NPS Southeast about 25 properties each year. Regional (Hike. Atlanta Pederal Center. 1921 Public involvement also means outreach. John Wiley and Building. 100 Alabama Street. SW. Atlanta. (leorgia 30303. Phone 404.562.3173. Sons, Inc., published National Landmarks, America's E-mail: [email protected] Treasures, the National Park Foundation's Complete Guide to Mission of the National Park Service National Historic Landmarks. Written by S. Allen Chambers, Tin National Tail: .Sen tee is dedicated to Jr., with a foreword by Hillary Rodham Clinton, this compre conserving unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System hensive guide describes the role of each of these very special for the enjoyment, education and inspiration places in American history. of this and future venerations, tin .Sett tie is also responsible for managing a great i ariety Working to recognize nationally significant historic places, of national and in ternational programs designed to help extend the benefits of natural the National Historic Landmarks Survey is a proud member and cultural resource conservation and outdoor of the NHL Program. recreation throughout this country and the world This issue of NHL Network covers recent work of the HPS National Historic Landmark Survey. Heritage Preservation Services
John H. Sprinkle. Jr.. Ph.D.. is the Supervisory Historian with the National Historic U.S. Department of the Interior Landmarks Survey, National Park Service. National Park Service Cultural Resources 2 RECENT BOOK RELEASE
From the National Park Foundation and John Wiley and Sons, Inc.— Discover the Places That Make America Great!
National Landmarks, America's Treasures Now Available
xplore the National Park EFoundation's definitive guide to America's National Historic Landmarks—the ultimate catalog of the nation's treasures. Written by Allen S. Chambers, Jr., with a foreword by Hillary Rodham Clinton, this guide covers all 50 states, captur ing the American experience through famous icons such as the Brooklyn Bridge, and Cape Hatteras lighthouse, Lincoln's boyhood home, and more than 2,200 other nationally significant places. Based on information con tained in National Park Service nomination files, the guide is organized by state and county, describes each National Historic Landmark, and includes 385 illustra tions. For more information about this comprehensive guide to National Historic Landmarks, contact John Wiley & Sons, Inc., at 800.225.5945, or by e-mail
3 NEWS FROM THE NHL SURVEY
Friends of Friendless Nicholson House, will be submitted level of architectural integrity, for consideration to the National enhances the significance of the Landmarks: Vernacular Park System Advisory Board, the property. Architecture in the body that recommends NHL desig Building traditions of the early National Historic nation to the Secretary of the United States can be divided into Interior. The NHL nomination four distinct regions and associated Landmarks Survey makes the dual case for national sig styles—New England, Southern, nificance and a high degree of Tidewater, and the Mid-Atlantic. By Michelle St. Clair integrity. The Abel and Mary Nicholson House has the potential of filling ernacular structures desig The 1722 Abel and Mary this early construction period gap nated as National Historic Nicholson House is a remarkably V for the Mid-Atlantic region by repre Landmarks exemplify some vari intact example of patterned-end senting a building style—patterned ation of vernacular architecture brick architecture featuring a diaper brickwork—that in the Mid-Atlantic that is nationally significant and pattern and date in vitrified brick, region, specifically New Jersey, maintains a high degree of integrity. reflecting a highstyle version of a "reached a higher state of elabora Vernacular NHLs are excellent common Mid-Atlantic building tra tion and acceptance than anywhere examples of the more common and dition. When constructed, the origi else in America." It is the regional basic forms of architecture. Some nal block of the house appeared significance of the Fairbanks House. say that vernacular architecture is much as it does today. Originally Bacon's Castle, Drayton Hall, and most significant because it reflects accessed from the Alloway Creek, now the Abel and Mary Nicholson everyday life for common people. the structure today is reached down a half-mile dirt lane through a cul House, that makes these properties The study of vernacular architec turally intact landscape of farm nationally significant. The Abel and ture is often limited by the fact fields, wetlands, and forest. In 1859, Mary Nicholson House joins this that the largest and most substan a frame kitchen was replaced by a group of nationally significant ver tial buildings generally are the longitudinally placed two-and-a-half nacular buildings as it reflects an ones that survive, whereas the story, brick addition. early building tradition of the Mid- truly ordinary structures, usually Atlantic region. less substantial, often vanish. The main two-and-a-half story, Because vernacular structures are three-bay structure is an outstand The NHL Survey anticipates that localized versions of widely known ing example of a Delaware Valley, the Abel and Mary Nicholson House forms, their study can only occur brick, patterned-end house whose will be designated a National within a local or regional context, integrity allows it to stand alone as Historic Landmark early in 2000. where the connection between built the only known, pristine survivor of Further inclusion of vernacular form and local culture can be made. an Anglo-American building tradi architecture within the NHL Survey tion that existed for three-quarters addresses larger National Park The National Historic of a century. When constructed, it Service efforts to recognize the Landmarks Survey recognizes that was at a scale and with a level of many ethnic groups that have made vernacular architecture is poorly detail that made it a mansion in significant contributions to our represented in our records. Of the relation to other dwellings of the country's history. Recently, the NHL nearly 2,300 properties designated period in the area; the crowning Survey has begun to work with the as National Historic Landmarks, touch was the diaper pattern on the Vernacular Architecture Forum to only 23 individual structures and 11 east end. The 1722 block of the identify viable vernacular architec historic districts are classified as structure has existed for over 275 ture candidates and to draw upon vernacular architecture. In the NHL years in an unaltered state, the VAF membership's expertise in priority list of sites that appear to enhanced by a patina of age, with identifying regional architectural warrant nomination as landmarks, only routine maintenance, no major patterns. only one, the Third Haven Meeting remodeling or restoration, and House in Maryland, is classified as without the intrusion of electricity An intern with the National Historic Landmarks vernacular. Survey, National Park Service, during 1999, or a central heating system. The Michelle St. Clair is a history student at the In early December, one vernacu 1859 addition, with a comparable University of California, Santa Cniz. lar structure, the Abel and Mary
For the NHL web site address, see page 11. 4 MORE NATIONAL NEWS
An excellent example of vernacular architecture from the early 18th century, the Abel and Mary Nicholson house in Salem County, New Jersey exhibits a high degree of architectural integrity. Photo courtesy Ronald E. Magill. 1997.
FROM PROPERTIES, PAGE 1 dignified and functional burying • Fort James Jackson, This mill is the finest example ground for the entire community. Chatham County, Georgia. This of a selective flotation mill • Whitehall (Henry M. Flagler fort was built by the U.S. Gov reflecting the distinctive charac House), Palm Beach, Florida. ernment between 1808 and teristics of the hard-rock milling This was the winter home of 1812 to defend the harbor and process in the early twentieth Henry Morrison Flagler, one of city of Savannah, Georgia, and century. John D. Rockefeller's two origi is one of only five surviving • Grove Street Cemetery, New nal partners and a founder of Second System Seacoast Forti Haven, Connecticut. This ceme Standard Oil Company. Later in fications. It contains most of its tery represents a milestone in life Flagler used his immense original design of 1808 and is the historical development of wealth to develop the State of unique in shape from the other the cemetery as a distinct insti Florida. Whitehall is also a remaining Second System forts. tution. Incorporated in 1797, great architectural building and • Arthur Heurtley House, Oak the cemetery association was epitomizes the luxurious Park, Illinois. This house has formed by a group of private American country houses of the been widely recognized as a crit citizens intent on creating a turn-of-the-century. ical work in the history of 5 NATIONAL NEWS
modern architecture both nationally and internationally. It is understood to be the first fully mature Prairie Style house and marks a pivotal point in the early development of the career of the noted architect Frank Lloyd Wright. • Kennebec Arsenal, Augusta, Maine. This arsenal is the most intact early nineteenth century munitions depot in the United States. Built between 1828 and 1838, the size of this facility was directly related to the Northeast Boundary Contro versy, a border dispute which lasted from 1820 until 1842 and almost led to a third war with Great Britain. • Bollman Truss Railroad Bridge, Howard County, Maryland. This bridge is the sole-surviving example of a rev olutionary design in the history of American bridge engineering which was invented and pat ented by Wendel A. Bollman, a major figure in 19th century civil engineering. In addition, the bridge is one of the oldest standing iron railroad bridges in the United States. • Sotterly, St. Mary's County, Maryland. The main house is one of two surviving examples of post-in-ground framing extant in the Chesapeake region of Maryland, Delaware and Virginia and provides exception ally rare material evidence of this construction method. In addition to its signal importance as an architectural artifact, Sotterley's physical structure also embodies valuable insights into Chesapeake society and culture. • Nathan and Polly Johnson Properties, New Bedford, George Washington's Childhood Home, Ferry Farm, Fredericksburg, Virginia. Day campers at Massachusetts. This was the Ferry Farm try to recreate Washington's apocryphal throwing a stone across the Rappahannock River. Ferry Farm was nominated as a National Historic Landmark for its first home of the famed fugitive association with great American ideals. Photo courtesy National Park Service. and later abolitionist Frederick 6 NATIONAL NEWS
Sotterley, Hollywood, Maryland. This plantation was nominated for its nationally significant architecture and landscape. The principal dwelling contains an exceedingly rare survival—for the Mid-Atlantic region—of post-in-ground construction dating to c. 1717; the property exhibits a variety of 18th century alterations and additions. Photo courtesy Kirk Ranzetta, 1998.
Douglass after his 1838 escape Since 1670 the English had pristine survivor of an Anglo- from slavery. Nathan and Polly made great inroads into the American building tradition. As Johnson also played a large role Mississippi Valley. To help ward there are New England, in the antebellum effort to erad off further encroachments. Fort Tidewater and Southern region icate American slavery, and in St. Pierre and its related com al early building traditions, this assisting slaves escaping from munity were established house represents the Mid- the South on the Underground between the Chickasaw and the Atlantic region in this regional Railroad. Natchez, thus serving as an grouping of significant early important buffer settlement. Fort St. Pierre Site, Warren buildings. County, Mississippi. Established • Abel and Mary Nicholson • Stonewall, New York City, New in 1718, this fort was located House, Salem County, New York. This building is associated about half way between two Jersey. Built in 1722, the main with events that outstandingly major French colonial popula structure is an outstanding represent the struggle for gay tion centers (Mobile and New example of a Delaware Valley, civil rights in America. This site Orleans in the south, and the brick, patterned-end house encompasses a several block Illinois country in the north) in whose integrity allows it to area in Greenwich Village that what was a critical buffer zone. stand alone as the only known. was the location of a series of
7 NATIONAL NEWS
events, collectively known as which is noted for its enclosed FROM MEMBERS, PAGE 1 Stonewall, that occurred parking areas within architec between June 28 and July 3, turally cohesive commercial recommendation to the Secretary 1969. This is regarded by many blocks. The complex represents of the Interior for designation as as the single most important a pivotal point in the evolution National Historic Landmarks. The occurence that led to the mod of the shopping center as a dis Committee is composed of two ern gay and lesbian liberation tinctive building type in twenti members of the appointed NPS movement. eth century architecture in the Advisory Board (for this Advisory • Gettysburg National Military United States. Board they are Mr. Parker Park Visitors Center/ • George Washington's Westbrook, who has been appoint Cyclorama Building, Gettys Boyhood Homesite, Stafford ed Chairman of the Landmarks burg, Pennsylvania. This build County, Virginia. This site, also Committee, and Ms. Marie Ridder) ing is one of the finest pioneer known as Ferry Farm, contains and a varying number of other ing examples of visitor centers archeological resources that professionals appointed by the constructed by the National have yielded new information Chairman of the full Advisory Park Service in order to bring a about the material circum Board. These professionals are rec new level of interpretation and stances of George Washington's ommended for appointment by the visitor services to its national life, and have demonstrated the National Park Service staff based parks and ranks among the most potential to yield additional on their expertise in fields such as ambitious as well as most dis data that will affect scholarly archeology, architecture, architec tinctive examples of its type in understanding of Washington's tural history, cultural resource the post-World War II era. The early years. In addition, the site management, and anthropology. A building is also one of the most has specific associations with brief discussion of these profes sophisticated, fully developed stories and traditions related to sionals, who volunteer their time examples outside the residential Washington's youth that have to serve on the Landmarks Com sphere of the work of Richard become a fundamental part of mittee, follows. Neutra, an international leader American national culture and Dr. Ian Brown is a Professor of in modern architecture design ideals. Anthropology at the University of during the twentieth century. Alabama. His specialty is the • James and Mary Boykin For more information on desig archeology of the Southeastern Chesnut House, Camden, nated National Historic Land United States where he has con South Carolina. This is the most marks, visit the NHL Survey on ducted fieldwork for the past 28 important property associated line at
has received a number of academic Administrator Coordinator - the theme as school segregation, honors, among them a Guggen Historian/Historical Archaeologist challenges to school segregation, heim fellow, prizes for distinguished for the Minnesota Department of massive resistance by states and writing, and in 1986 he was made Transportation and as a Historical communities to the court's ruling, an honorary member of the Archaeologist for the State and methods of school integration. American Institute of Architects. Historical Preservation Center and Subtopics include community Mr. S. Allen Chambers, a native State Historic Preservation Office responses to desegregation, of Lynchburg, Virginia, now lives in South Dakota. She has also approaches to desegregation such in Washington, D.C., where he was worked as a Archeologist/ Historical as busing and pairing, and signifi for many years an architectural Archeologist for the USDA Forest cant persons, places and events. historian with the National Park Service. NHL Survey staff will identify Service's Historic American Patty Henry is a Historian with the National potential landmarks to join other Buildings Survey. He has written Historic Landmarks Survey, National Park sites previously designated. An the text for a book, sponsored by Service. example of an existing National the National Parks Foundation, Historic Landmark is Central High describing the 2,277 National School in Little Rock, Arkansas Historic Landmarks. He is also FROM SCHOOL THEME, PAGE 1 where President Eisenhower conducting research for a book on ordered federal troops to escort the architecture in West Virginia, part In the Opinion of the Court, Chief Little Rock Nine to integrate the of a state-by-state series sponsored Justice Earl Warren wrote, "To sep school. Another example are the by the American Society of arate them from others of similar Sumner and Monroe Elementary Architectural Historians. He is a age and qualifications solely Schools in Topeka, Kansas (Brown former vice-chairman of the because of their race generates a v. Board of Education of Topeka) hrginia State Review Board (for feeling of inferiority as to their sta where parents filed suit to admit nistoric properties) and a past tus in the community that may their daughter to a white school president of the Preservation affect their hearts and minds in a near home as opposed to an almost Alliance of Virginia. way unlikely to ever be undone." two-mile walk to the black school. Dr. Elizabeth Clark-Lewis, an This ruling overturned the so-called In completing this property Associate Professor of History and "separate but equal" doctrine search, the NHL survey staff sent a specialist in 20th century announced by the U.S. Supreme nearly 500 letters to an NPS Washington, D.C. history, is cur Court in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) diversity mailing list containing rently the Director of the Public that kept African Americans in Historically Black Colleges and History Program in the History inferior schools for decades. Universities, agencies, and indi Department of Howard University. As we approach the 50th viduals with an interest in ethnic She was also a Post Doctoral anniversary of this ruling, Con groups. At the state and national research fellow at the Smithsonian gress authorized the National level, mailings were also sent to Institution's National Museum of Park Service to conduct a National all State and Tribal Historic American History. She serves on Historic Landmark theme study Preservation Officers, and Federal the Executive Council of the on racial desegregation in public Preservation Officers requesting Association for the Study of Afro- education in the United States. information on known properties American Life and History as well The survey will consist of an his and knowledgeable individuals. As as national committees of the toric context and the identification a result of the mailing response National Council on Public History of five properties that are nation and background research, NHL and Association of Black Women ally significant in illustrating the survey staff are currently consid Historians. She is a founding mem school desegregation experiences ering a number of properties iden ber of the Afro-American Historical of ethnic groups across the coun tified as being associated with and Genealogical Association. try. Undertaking the historic con individuals, community groups, Dr. Allyson Brooks is the State text are four scholars identified by and agencies involved in the Historic Preservation Officer for the the Organization of American efforts of a variety of ethnic groups Jtate of Washington and directs the Historians in partnership with the to influence and achieve school State Office of Archaeology and National Park Service. desegregation. Historic Preservation. She has In the narrative context, the The final product will be a served as the State Programs scholars will cover such phases in National Register of Historic
9 NATIONAL NEWS
Places Multiple Property National Park Service has invited ject of one of five desegregation Documentation Form similar to other scholars and knowledgeable cases argued as Brown v. Board of that completed for the NHL individuals to peer review the Education of Topeka. See related Underground Railroad Resources document. The desegregation article, NHL Network, Volume I, in the United States Theme Study theme study will culminate with No. 2, Fall-Winter 1998. completed in September 1998. its presentation by the Secretary A history student at Howard University, Turkiya Included in the study will be the of the Interior to Congress in Lowe was a Student Conservation Association context, associated property types, October 2000. Intern with NPS in 1999. registration requirements, a list Susan Salvatore works with the National ing of properties designated under Note: Designated an NHL in 1998, Historic Landmarks Survey, National Park this theme, and a bibliography. To Robert Russa Moton High School Service, as the principal investigator for the assure a quality report, the in Farmuille, Virginia was the sub desegregation theme study.
In 1957, Little Rock's Central High School was the site of a federally enforced effort to integrate public high schools after the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Supreme Court decision. This property was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1982 and made a National Historic Site in 1998. Photo courtesy Little Rock Central High School Museum and Visitor's Center. 10 NHL BITS AND BYTES
Program Grants Manager at NHL CONTACT PUBLICATION 202.343.1210 or visit
Visit the One-Stop NHL Web Page at < www.cr. nps.gov/nhl > to learn more about the NHL program, on-line owners discussion group, theme studies, virtual visits to NHLs, the NHL database, and more!
li NetworkT^ "Y m NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS "^ U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Heritage Preservation Services, 1849 C Street, NW, Room NC330, Washington, DC 20240
IN THIS ISSUE: NATIONAL: 19 properties recommended as NHLs...page 1 New members named to Landmarks Committee...page 1 School desegregation theme study announced...page 1 New book on NHLs released by National Parks Foundation...page 3
NHL SURVEY: Role of the Survey.page 2 Vernacular architecture in the Survey...page 4
BITS AND BYTES: NHL Survey contact.page 11 Preserving the Recent Past II conference...page 11 New publication on how to prepare NHL nominations...page 11 Funding news and deadlines...page 11 Upcoming training kit...page 11