Vol. 29, No. 1 January 1984 COURIER Washington, D.C. The National Park Service Newsletter HABS' 50th Anniversary At the Library of Congress reception in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of HABS, Daniel ]. Boorstin, Librarian of Congress, presented a special citation to Robert Broshar, FAIA, President of The American Institute of Architects for supporting the HABS program. By Jean P. Yearby Publications & Exhibits Specialist, WASO November 1983 marked the 50th Congress to make HABS a permanent Forty states participated in the anniversary of the Historic American program. celebration by developing exhibits Buildings Survey (HABS). Initiated in Under this agreement, the National comprised of HABS measured 1933 by Charles E. Peterson, then an Park Service plans and administers the drawings and photographs. State architect in the National Park Service, operation with funds appropriated by Preservation Coordinators, in HABS was founded both to preserve Congress and supplemented by cooperation with HABS staff members historic American buildings through donations from individuals, Isabel Hill, Jean Yearby, Paul documentation and to provide work foundations, historical organizations, Dolinsky, Kenneth Anderson, and for the architectural profession and other Federal agencies. It also Alice Keyes, produced these exhibits hard-pressed by the Great Depression. develops qualitative standards, for showing throughout the States. A 6-month operation period was organizes projects, and selects subjects Sunday, November 13th kicked off imposed on the program. But, by the for recording. It directs the preparation the official week-long celebration in end of 1934, HABS had produced of the records, edits them, and Washington, D.C. The week started more than 5,000 sheets of measured transmits them to the Library of with a field trip to Harpers Ferry, W. drawings and more than 3,000 Congress. The Library preserves the Va., with stopovers in Frederick, Md., photographs and had became an records, makes them available for and Waterford, Va., a town instant success. So, in 1934, the Park study and provides reproductions established in 1733 by a Quaker Service entered into an agreement through its Photoduplication Service. named Amos Janney from Bucks with the American Institute of The AIA provides professional counsel Architects (AIA) and the Library of through its national membership. Continued on page 2. Continued from page 1. founder of HABS, as well as other and conducted tours of their offices. distinguished colleagues and former Finally, on Friday, the United States County, Pa. Walton (Kip) Stowell of HABS employees. Remarks were made Senate passed a special resolution Harpers Ferry Center and Ed Bearss, by Peterson. commending the Survey "for its Chief Historian of NPS, gave Later, the newly-formed HABS substantial contributions to our interpretive talks during the ride. At Foundation hosted a commemorative understanding of the history and Frederick, Ann Lebhertz, President of dinner in the Caucus Room, Cannon heritage of this Nation." the Frederick Landmarks Foundation, House Office Building. Representative conducted a tour of Main Street. John F. Seiberling (Ohio) was among The group then proceeded to the attendees. Harpers Ferry. At a luncheon at the On Tuesday, (Nov. 15) the Hill Top House, presentations and U.S.-International Council on comments were made by Don Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), in Campbell, Superintendent, Harpers conjunction with HABS, held a 81 parks prepare Ferry National Historical Park; Jerry conference on international recording Rogers, Associate Director, Cultural programs. Issues, problems, and land protection Resources; Archie Franzen, HFC; Blair procedures identified through selected Reeves, University of Florida (former documentation programs from around plans HABS employee); and Hugh Miller, the world were discussed. That NPS Chief Park Historic Architect. A evening, the AIA, in cooperation with tour of the town followed. Places the Library of Congress and the Park By Warren Brown visited were Harper House (Archie Service, hosted the HABS "Jubilee Park Planning and Special Studies Franzen spoke on the completed Gala" at AIA headquarters. A letter WASO restoration work on the house); from President Reagan was read, Catholic Church, built on the ruins of stating "I applaud this program which In May of 1982, the Department of The Episcopal Church; Stone Steps; began on November 13, 1933, as an the Interior adopted a new land Book Store; John Brown's Fort; and the effective way in which public and protection policy that requires the Downey House, where they viewed a private sectors are collaborating to National Park Service and other HABS exhibit on Harpers Ferry. help in preserving historically agencies in the Department to use "to The group then went to the Mather representative structures. May HABS the maximum extent practical" Training Center for presentation to continue to enjoy success and make cost-effective alternatives to buying Director Dickenson of Historic America, important contributions in its second private land. As a result, NPS is the new 50-year catalog of the half-century of service to the American preparing land protection plans for HABS/HAER collections. The next stop people." each unit with non-Federal land within was Waterford, Va., for a tour of The highlight of the evening was the its boundary. As of Oct. 15, 81 plans the town and one of its mills. The tour presentation by Charles Peterson of had been submitted to the Washington was conducted by W. Brown Morton, the first Charles E. Peterson Prize Office for review and 65 received the former chief of the Technical awards. These were presented for the concurrence of the Assistant Secretary Preservation Services Division (now best set of drawings donated to HABS for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. Preservation Assistance Division), by a student. The winners were: first Approximately 105 more plans are NPS. The buses then headed back to prize: Anne E. Weber, Columbia scheduled to be written in the next 2 Washington for a champagne University; second prize: Reed Alan years. reception at the Old Post Office Black, University of Florida; and third Almost all of the plans submitted so Pavilion where the group was prize: Deborah Diana Johnson, far have met the four basic objectives welcomed by the ringing of the University of Virginia. The winning outlined in the instructions: Ditchley bells atop the building (to drawings were on display. 1. Determine what land or interests signify the beginning of HABS Week). On Wednesday, Nov. 16th, HABS in land need to be in Federal On Monday, the Committee on hosted a documentation technology ownership to carry out purposes of the Historic Resources of the AIA conference, directed by HABS architect area as established by Congress; conducted a meeting on a wide range John A. Burns, at the AIA 2. Inform landowners about NPS of historic preservation topics. That headquarters. Covered were such plans for acquiring their land or evening, Daniel J. Boorstin, Librarian subjects as research sources, computer protecting it through other means; of Congress, hosted a reception in the enhancement of historic photographs, 3. Identify priorities for using Great Hall of the Library of Congress. rectified photography, available funds, and An exhibit of HABS and Historic photogrammetry, and geometric 4. Establish cooperative American Engineering Record (HAER) methods of determining locations and relationships with State and local drawings was on display. dimensions of vanished structures governments, landowners, and the Dr. Boorstin introduced Historic recorded in historic photographs. private sector. America: Buildings, Structures, and Sites, That evening, the Washington When the plans are received in a checklist of structures recorded by Chapter of AIA and the Smithsonian Washington, they are circulated for HABS and HAER, and compiled by Institution hosted a 50th anniversary review by each division with interests the HABS/HAER Division. The dinner at the Great Hall and Rotunda in the issues covered by the plan. 700-page volume is the first catalog of at the Old Patent Building, to honor Comments are most often received the collection in more than 40 years. former chiefs of HABS. from the Land Resources Division, the Copies were presented to Jerry Rogers, On Thursday and Friday, HABS and Division of Biological Resources, and Associate Director, Cultural Resources; the Prints and Photographs Division of the Special Assistant for Policy to Robert Broshar, FAIA, President of the Library of Congress, repository for Development. WASO comments are AIA; and to Charles E. Peterson, the HABS collection, held open house consolidated by the Division of Park 2 COURIER/January 1984 Planning and Special Studies; and if and allow for some private "short form" plan is being tried on an the plan meets the requirements development that will not be visible experimental basis for smaller areas outlined in the instructions, it is from the key historic sites. Several that have relatively little land requiring forwarded to the Director and the plans also discuss opportunities to protection. Some good models also are Assistant Secretary's Office for policy work with local governments to available, such as the plans for clearance. protect the historic or natural scene Saratoga National Historical Park, Superintendents who provided surrounding the area. N.Y.; Santa Monica Mountains; Gulf personal briefings for Assistant Clearance by the Assistant