national register nomination for boulevard park historic

creation, and guidance by colleagues at OHP gave firsthand experience in historic
contexts, identification of architectural details, and the technical specifications required
of National Register nominations. However, due to the constraints of learning the job, the
nomination received very little attention during this period.
Architectural identification and description of district buildings occurred during
the fall of 2009 through the spring of 2010. 55 of the 300 lots in Boulevard Park were
assessed by previous surveys, and approximately 25 others were described in other
works. Comparison of these documents revealed technical inconsistencies, factual errors
and subsequent alteration. To maintain consistent architectural descriptions, A Field
Guide to American Houses, by Virginia and Lee McAlester, served as a standard
reference. 1 A second work, Rehab Right by the City of Oakland Planning Department,
became a secondary architectural reference to describe regional styles like the Neoclassic
Row House and California Bungalow. 2
Each contributor received a complete
architectural description and assessment of integrity, date of construction where
available, and details of original ownership and building role where available.
Descriptions of non-contributors indicate whether they were non-contributing due to later
date of construction or loss of integrity due to subsequent alteration, but do not include
detailed architectural descriptions.
Follow-up research on individual properties utilized previous survey forms,
Sanborn insurance maps, city directories, and other documents collected in the “Red
1 McAlester, Virginia and Lee, A Field Guide to American Houses. (New York: Knopf, 1984)
2 City of Oakland Planning Department, Rehab Right: How To Rehabilitate Your Oakland House Without
Sacrificing Architectural Assets. (Oakland: City of Oakland, 1978)
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