BSLA Fieldbook BSLA 2013 Fall Fieldbook | Page 103
Gropius House, Lincoln, photo credit Ken Schwarz
Historic Landscapes in Massachusetts
La ndsca p e Lega c y
Marion Pressley, FASLA
America’s Landscape Legacy
During the past 20 years, historic preservation has grown
beyond protecting a single structure or district to include
historic landscapes that have regional or national
significance. The Historic American Landscapes Survey
(HALS) plays an important role in documenting these
landscapes. HALS does not limit development, no land
is purchased, and property rights are unaffected. If the
physical character of the region cannot be protected
through other means, HALS ensures a lasting record
and images of the landscape so its historic context will
endure. However, inadequate funding limits the program’s
ability to keep pace with growing threats and the
demands for technical assistance.
Massachusetts’s Historic Landscapes
Massachusetts has a wealth of historic and cultural
landscapes including historic town cores with town
greens, city parks and park systems, metropolitan park
systems, state heritage parks, Revolutionary War battlefields,
parkways, working agrarian landscapes, and turn of the
century private estates as well as important 20th century
estates such as the Gropius House in Lincoln. All of these
landscapes contribute to the sense of
place that is so important to the quality
of life in Massachusetts. They tell our story
and provide a sense of who we have
been and who we are today.
Many of our historic and cultural landscapes
are at risk today, because their value is
not recognized and they are pressured by
development, or suffer under benign neglect. These landscapes provide a context
for our lives, reinforce a sense of community, and provide a place where people
want to live and to visit. Documenting
them is essential to telling their story and
understanding their role in shaping our
state and nation.
Some historic public landscapes, such as
the Emerald Necklace Park System and
the Charles River Esplanade in Boston
and estates under control of foundations
such as Naumkeag in Stockbridge or the
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