The Past and Future Character of the Haller Gardens
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RECAPTURING A CULTURAL LANDSCAPE: THE PAST AND FUTURE CHARACTER OF THE HALLER GARDENS DORIS J. McMAHON A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Landscape Architecture University of Washington 2016 Committee: Jeffrey Ochsner, Chair Thaisa Way Program Authorized to Offer Degree: Landscape Architecture © 2016 DORIS J. McMAHON University of Washington Abstract Recapturing a Cultural Landscape: The Past and Future Character of the Haller Gardens Doris Jenalah. McMahon Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Professor Jeffrey K. Ochsner UW Department of Architecture Cultural landscapes are vital community repositories because they provide opportunities for learning about history of a place and cultural heritage of the people. Today (2016), visitors to cultural landscapes are looking for experiences that will most accurately present the character associated with the time period. Curators of cultural landscapes are tasked with balancing design of historic spaces with maintenance and budget feasibility for the property owners. This thesis aims to show how to tie a residential historic landscape to a house museum. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My deepest thanks go to my thesis committee members Thank you to Sarah Aldrich, archivist of the Island County Professor Jeffrey Ochsner and Professor Thaisa Way for Historical Society, for generously offering background their guidance, close readings of the draft and for providing information, access, and photographs of the Haller property valuable advice, perspective, and encouragement. Thank and historical Whidbey. you to Susan Dolan, National Park Service Historical Also thank you to Kate Hartman and Hailey Mackay for Landscape Architect; her knowledge of the site and bringing to me an interesting topic of research and for mentorship in cultural landscapes was extremely helpful. providing preliminary site analysis and plant inventory. Thank you to Professor Nancy Rottle for getting me started and for providing me with the initial background information Finally, I am indebted to my family and friends for their about this project. Thank you to Professor Iain Robertson support and encouragement during this process. for sharing his extensive knowledge about plants. Thank you to Aaron Luoma for his mentorship and encouragement. A special thank you to Holly Taylor for helping me identify and analyze comparable case studies; she introduced me to valuable sources. I am grateful to Lynn Hyde at Historic Whidbey who shared her knowledge of and affection for the Haller House. Thanks go to the staff at the Bigelow House Museum and the staff at the Rothschild House Museum whose support made my work much easier. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Figures …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ii List of Tables …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. vi Chapter I: Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 1 Notes to Chapter I ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 6 Chapter II: The Haller Family and the Haller Property ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 7 Family and House History …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 8 Existing House Conditions ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 12 Existing Landscape Conditions ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 26 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 35 Notes to Chapter II ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 36 Chapter III: Case Study: Bigelow House ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 38 Family and House History ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 38 Existing House Conditions ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 41 Historic Landscape …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 42 Existing Landscape Conditions ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 47 Rehabilitating the Landscape …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 48 Evaluation …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 52 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 53 Notes to Chapter III …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 54 i Chapter IV: Case Study: Rothschild House ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 55 Family and House History ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 56 Existing House Conditions ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 58 Historic Landscape …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 60 Existing Landscape Conditions ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 65 Rehabilitating the Landscape …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 67 Evaluation …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 71 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 72 Notes to Chapter IV …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 73 Chapter V: Authenticity ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 74 General Theory of Authenticity ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 75 Application of the Theory of Authenticity to Haller House Landscape …………………………………………………………………… 76 Design with Authenticity ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 80 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 84 Notes to Chapter V …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 86 Chapter VI: Design Process ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 88 Site Analysis …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 89 Topography ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 90 Character-Defining Features ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 91 Plant Identification …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 92 Design Matrix …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 93 Design Concept I ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 94 Design Concept II …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 97 ii Chapter VII: Final Design …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 98 Seasonal Garden Color ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 99 Visitor Experience …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 103 Chapter VIII: Conclusions ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 105 Bibliography …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 106 iii LIST OF FIGURES Figure Number Page 1.1. Photograph of Haller House North View ...…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2 1.2. Aerial Image Haller House Location ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3 2.1. Photograph of Haller House North View …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 7 2.2. Photograph of Major Granville O. Haller ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 9 2.3. Photograph of Henrietta M. Haller ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9 2.4. Photograph of AliceMai Haller ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 9 2.5. Photograph of Charlotte Haller ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9 2.6. Photograph of George Haller ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9 2.7. Photograph of Theodore Haller ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 9 2.8. Map of Agriculture on the Prairies between 1860 and 1880 ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 11 2.9. First Floor Plan of Haller House ..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..... 14 2.10. Second Floor Plan of Haller House …….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 14 2.11 Exterior Photograph of Haller House Bay Window .……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 15 2.12. Interior Photograph of Haller House Bay Window ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 16 2.13. Historical Photograph of Haller House West View ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 18 2.14. Historical Photograph of Haller House Northwest View ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 19 2.15. Historical Photograph of Haller House Southwest View ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 19 2.16. Historical Photograph of Front Street West View …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 19 2.17. Historical Photograph of Haller House and Circuit Cinema .………………………………………………………………………………………………… 19 iv 2.18. Historical Photograph of Haller House Conservatory ..……...………………………………………………………………………………………………… 20 2.19. Sanborn Map of Haller Property in 1914 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 20 2.20. Sanborn Map of Haller Property in 1930 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 20 2.21. Historical Photograph of Haller House North View .……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 21 2.22. Historical Photograph of Haller House Northeast View ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 21 2.23. Historical Photograph of Haller House Southeast View ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 22 2.24. Historical Photograph of Haller House South View ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 22 2.25. Historical Photograph of Haller House Southwest View ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 22 2.26. Historical Photograph of Haller House Northwest View ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 23 2.27. Historical Photograph of Haller House Northwest View ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 23 2.28. Map of Landscape Plants at