ST. ELIZABETHS WEST CAMPUS CULTURAL LANDSCAPE ...

ST. ELIZABETHS WEST CAMPUSCULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORTChapter I: Introduction, Work Scope and MethodologyA. CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORT INTRODUCTIONHeritage Landscapes, Preservation Landscape Architects & Planners (HL) and Robinson &Associates, Inc. (RA) developed an extensively researched St. Elizabeths West Campus CulturalLandscape Report (CLR) commissioned through Farewell Mills Gatsch Architects, LLC (FMG)and CETROM, Inc. by the United States General Services Administration (GSA).The St. Elizabeths West Campus landscape is comprised of important cultural and naturalresources that contribute to the heritage value of the property. This documentation-based CLRseeks to record, in an organized, comprehensive manner, the evolution and character of thehistoric landscape through time in order to thoroughly understand the landscape and set forthsound guidelines for landscape treatment and interpretation. The narrative and illustrationshighlight the character and details of this landscape during the historical periods that coincideswith superintendent tenure. This documentation process, following federal landscapepreservation guidance for the development of cultural landscapes reports, forms the basis forlandscape treatment recommendations that are in harmony with the past while suitingcontemporary and future needs and functionalities. The potential role of the former therapeuticlandscape in enhancing resident and visitor experience is an important focus of this CLR.Advocated for as early as 1848 and initially developed in the 1850s, the West Campus of St.Elizabeths Hospital is a nationally and perhaps internationally significant historic resource thatdocuments in physical form the evolution of medical treatment for mental health patients in theUnited States. 1 Positioned on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Potomac andAnacostia Rivers, this approximately 176-acre property commands an impressive panorama. Thesite selection, site planning for the buildings, and development of the hospital grounds integratethe landscape with the medical treatment of patients. This was a remarkable innovation in thistype of institution marking a shift away from incarceration treatment toward active therapeutictreatment of mental illness. The historical significance of St. Elizabeths Hospital is nationallyrecognized by incorporation on national and local historic district registers. The campusincluding the cultural landscape is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).The campus was nominated to the National Register in 1989, designated a National HistoricLandmark in March of 1991, and received District of Columbia Historic District Designation inMay of 2005. However, only the West Campus of St. Elizabeths is listed as a National HistoricLandmark.I.1Heritage Landscapes and Robinson & Associates, Inc.

ST. ELIZABETHS WEST CAMPUS CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORTChapter I: Historic Landscape Assessment Introduction and MethodologyThe period of significance for the West Campus landscape begins with the 1852 initial planningand development of the asylum grounds and continues into the early 1940s. In the early 1940s,loss of some original landscape elements is noted. The existing landscape of the West Campustoday demonstrates a high degree of continuity from its mid-19 th century beginnings as aKirkbride-influenced asylum set in a scenic and therapeutic landscape designed in the Downingtradition. Despite some recent changes to landscape character and features, the overall retentionof this historic designed landscape is remarkable. In particular, hundreds of grand old trees, bothnative and ornamental, provide a sense of history and a distinctive character to the campus as dothe panoramic views over the core of the City of Washington DC and the Potomac and AnacostiaRivers.B. SCOPE OF WORK AND REPORT ORGANIZATIONA cultural landscape is defined in federal preservation guidance as “a geographic area, includingboth cultural and natural resources and the wildlife or domestic animals therein, associated witha historic event, activity, or person, or that exhibits other cultural or aesthetic values. There arefour general types of cultural landscapes, not mutually exclusive: historic sites, historic designedlandscapes, historic vernacular landscapes, and ethnographic landscapes.” 2 The landscape of theWest Campus of St. Elizabeths Hospital has characteristics of both a historic designed landscapeand possibly a historic site. It does not appear to have the characteristics of either a historicvernacular landscape or an ethnographic landscape. A historic site is defined as: “a landscapesignificant for its association with a historic event, activity, or person.” 3 A historic designedlandscape is defined as “a landscape that was consciously designed or laid out by a landscapearchitect, master gardener, architect, engineer, or horticulturalist according to design principles,or an amateur gardener working in a recognized style or tradition.” 4 The design of the earlypsychiatric hospital landscape, its associations with social reformer Dorthea Dix and firstsuperintendent Dr. Charles H. Nichols, and its use as a Civil War hospital and burial groundmake the West Campus landscape both a historic site and a historic design landscape.This CLR provides a comprehensive study of the landscape of this historically significantproperty that serves as a valuable resource in documenting the landscape in order to craft a soundbasis for analyzing integrity and creating landscape preservation guidelines. The compilation oflandscape-focused historic research, period plans, existing conditions documentation, assessmentof integrity and character, and treatment recommendations provides a solid foundation for futurepreservation treatment interventions and related landscape management and interpretation.Federal guidance outlines three parts of a CLR. Part 1 of a CLR focuses on researching propertyhistory and chronology, documenting existing conditions of the property, and analyzing theintegrity of the landscape today. Part 2 of a CLR explores the possible applications of the fourpreservation treatments to the cultural landscape, selects the most appropriate treatment, andprovides guidance for the implementation of that treatment. Part 3 of a CLR records landscapeinterventions undertaken to preserve and manage the historic landscape. The documentation ofeach intervention should be accompanied by the creation of archival records of the landscapetreatment interventions that address the intent of the work undertaken, the approach, and the finalI.2Heritage Landscapes and Robinson & Associates, Inc.

ST. ELIZABETHS WEST CAMPUS CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORTChapter I: Historic Landscape Assessment Introduction and Methodologyaccomplishment to include timing, cost and details. When completed, this documentationbecomes the record of preservation. 5 It is also useful and appropriate in a CLR to considerongoing maintenance and management of the landscape to provide for sustainable futurestewardship for the preserved cultural landscape.This document contains Part 1 and Part 2 of a CLR to include historic character, existingcharacter, integrity and significance statements, and landscape preservation treatmentcomponents. Specific to the scope of work, The CLR Part 1 includes:• Landscape History Review Document Collection and Chronology• Landscape History Narrative and Period Plans• Landscape Existing Conditions Illustrated Narrative• Landscape Analysis and Evaluation, and Statements of Integrity, Significance andContextIn accordance with the scope, the CLR Part 2 includes:• Landscape Preservation Treatment and GuidelinesThe St. Elizabeths West Campus CLR conforms to federal preservation standards and guidelinesfor cultural landscape preservation. 6 In terms of compliance with Section 106 of the NationalHistoric Preservation Act, there are two general categories of actions affecting culturallandscapes:• Actions undertaken specifically for the management of a cultural landscape• Actions undertaken for other management purposesEither type of action may affect the character, features and integrity of the landscape. 7 In thisreport the actions specifically for cultural landscape management are addressed through theconditional assessment and the preservation recommendations. The recommended maintenanceactions such as tree care and walk repair are considered in the context of preservation of historicmaterials and character rather than simply as routine maintenance activities. In historicpreservation the retention and management of original materials is valued as is the character ofthe overall composition. This aspect of valuing the historic materials applies to the preservationof the West Campus cultural landscape.This CLR is organized into chapters. Following the introduction in Chapter I: Historic LandscapeAssessment Introduction and Methodology, the chapters conform to Parts 1 and 2 of the CLR asspecified in federal guidance with specific reference to the NPS document Director’s Order 28:Cultural Resource Management Guideline, A Guide to Cultural Landscape Reports: Contents,Process, and Techniques, and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment ofHistoric Properties with Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes. 8 Chapter II:Nichols Era Landscape History, 1852-1877; Chapter III: Godding Era Landscape History, 1877-1899; Chapter IV: Richardson and White Era Landscape History, 1899-1937; and Chapter V:Recent Landscape History, 1937-2006, presents the landscape history of the West Campus.I.3Heritage Landscapes and Robinson & Associates, Inc.

ST. ELIZABETHS WEST CAMPUS CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORTChapter I: Historic Landscape Assessment Introduction and MethodologyChapter VI: St. Elizabeths Hospital Existing Landscape Conditions portrays the existingconditions of the hospital. Chapter VII: Landscape Analysis and Assessment of Significance andIntegrity compares findings from the site history and existing conditions to identify thesignificance and integrity of the site and provide a statement of significance for the landscape.Part 2 of the CLR is represented by Chapter VIII: Landscape Preservation Treatment Guidelines.The Bibliography and Appendices conclude the CLR.Narrative text and chapter endnotes are presented before graphic materials in each chapter of theCLR. Small illustrations and photographs, referred to as figures, follow the chapter endnotes. Achapter number and figure number identify these materials, such as Figure I.1. Larger graphicmaterials are included as folded 11” x 17” plans, and also identified with a chapter number andplan number such as Plan I.1.C. PROPERTY CONTEXT AND LANDSCAPE UNITSC1. Property ContextSt. Elizabeths Hospital is located on the southeast bank of the Anacostia River near theconfluence of the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers. Figure I.1 shows the hospital due west of theU.S. Naval Reservation. The figure displays the hospital at the seam of two 1:24,000 USGStopographical quadrangles: Anacostia, 1982, and Alexandria, 1994.St. Elizabeths is comprised of two campuses—the East Campus and the West Campus. The Eastand West campuses total 356 acres situated between the Suitland Parkway to the north and east,the Shepard Parkway to the south, and Interstate 295 to the west. The hospital is surrounded byhistoric Anacostia neighborhoods including Barry Farms to the north and Congress Heights tothe south. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue (formerly named Nichols Avenue after SuperintendentCharles Henry Nichols) bisects the East and West Campuses and forms the eastern edge of theproject area. The West Campus totals 176 acres. Approximately 15 acres of the historic hospitalgrounds lie to the west of Interstate 295. This area is no longer associated with the hospitalcampus and is not inventoried in this report beyond the consideration of it in historical research.The West Campus is the earliest developed portion of St. Elizabeths Hospital. Plan I.2: Site PlanSt. Elizabeths Hospital shows the physical relationship and sequence of building development ofboth the west and east campuses. Created by GSA, the plan displays building sequence withcolor shading by era over a 1985 base map. The three main periods of building construction andlandscape development on the West Campus are pre-1900, 1900 to 1929, and 1950 to thepresent. Construction during the years of 1930 to 1949 was aimed only at the East Campus. TheEast Campus that contains more recently constructed buildings and is currently in active use as amental heath facility. Hospital buildings are highlighted in color according to construction dateon Plan I.2. Also the numbers and names on the plan are referenced throughout this report.I.4Heritage Landscapes and Robinson & Associates, Inc.

ST. ELIZABETHS WEST CAMPUS CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORTChapter I: Historic Landscape Assessment Introduction and MethodologyC2. BoundaryThe West Campus is one of two parcels of the St. Elizabeths Hospital tract. The tract is recordedon Map No. 3302 of the Surveyor’s Office of the District of Columbia dated March 31, 1947. 9The West Campus, parcel 234/2, and the East Campus, parcel 234/38, lie respectively west andeast of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, formerly Nichols Avenue. The southeast corner of tract234/2 begins north of Milwaukee Place and runs west approximately 2,360 feet to a point whereit then runs parallel to South Capitol Street and Interstate 295 approximately 2,860 feet to FirthSterling Avenue. The tract closes by running southeast in a straight line approximately 2,440 feetto Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue.Figure I.1: This topographic quadrangle shows the location of St. Elizabeths Hospital in relationto the surrounding Anacostia District neighborhoods, Ronald Reagan Washington NationalAirport across the Potomac River and downtown Washington DC across the Anacostia River.Urban and residential areas are shaded dark pink and woodland areas are shaded green. (CL-HL-STE-USGS-Quad-1992W-1979E.jpg)I.5Heritage Landscapes and Robinson & Associates, Inc.

ST. ELIZABETHS WEST CAMPUS CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORTChapter I: Historic Landscape Assessment Introduction and MethodologyC3. West Campus Cultural Landscape UnitsThe West Campus landscape is divided into components based on patterns of organization. It isuseful to identify, organize and define the character of the property by delineating a logical seriesof landscape units each with a distinct, identifiable character. Within the natural, constructed,and legal boundaries of the property, units having particular character emerge based on land use,spatial organization, views and visual relationships, topography, vegetation, circulation andstructures. Boundaries of landscape units may be loosely delineated by vegetation or slopes orclearly defined by physical features such as a wall, path or road. Some of these features remainconstant while others change over time. The character of the unit is part of the character of theproperty as a whole. Identifying and defining these areas or units clarifies the spatialorganization of the property and facilitates a clearer understanding of the historic evolution of theproperty.Review of chronological mapping, aerial photographs, and site investigation of the West Campusyielded five definable landscape units or component landscapes that can be mapped for the St.Elizabeths landscape. The character and features of each area identify these units with twocomponent landscapes on the upland plateau and three addressing the framing slopes. Theseareas of the landscape are shown on Plan I.1: 2007 Existing Conditions Key Map, an overlay ofunits and sheet layouts on the 2007 Existing Conditions plan. The five units include:• Unit 1: Therapeutic, Ornamental Landscape and Overlook around Center Building andMain Gate. This area of some 42 acres defines the original construction and ornamentallandscape development of the original 19 th -century St. Elizabeths landscape to includethe curving overlook drive that affords panoramic views over the city and riverconfluence to the north and west. The landscape is defined by the early circulation systemof pleasure walks and drives and the early plantings.• Unit 2: Therapeutic, Ornamental Landscape around Pavilions and Secondary Entrances.This area of some 34 acres is the landscape around the second area to be constructed withpavilion-style buildings set within a landscape of curving drives, paths for strolling, treeplantings for scenic value and educational interest, and open lawns.• Unit 3: Agricultural Landscape of Greenhouses, Fields and North Slope. This slopingarea of about 37 acres of former row crops remains partially open today. Remnants ofnursery use are evident. It contains the greenhouse complex, the surrounding open areathat was in agricultural use, and the nearby cottage.• Unit 4: Service Landscape and Ravine around Powerhouse and Service Buildings. Thisarea is down slope and west of Units 1 and 2. The 21-acre unit is defined by somewhatcircuitous access roads that accommodate the steep grades and slopes in woodland coverof varying age and quality.• Unit 5: Civil War Cemetery and West Slope. Covering the western and southwesternslopes, this area of about 31 acres is principally in young woodland cover with aerialI.6Heritage Landscapes and Robinson & Associates, Inc.

ST. ELIZABETHS WEST CAMPUS CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORTChapter I: Historic Landscape Assessment Introduction and Methodologyphotographs from the late 20 th century documenting considerable disturbance. The CivilWar Cemetery is the primary cultural resource in this area.These landscape units are used throughout this report as a means of discussing the historiclandscape of the West Campus.D. METHODOLOGYD1. Archival ResearchThe first phase of the project was a detailed research process and study of historic materials.Robinson & Associates, Inc. served as the historian and carried out a thorough review of allavailable documentary records. As defined by the National Park Service, a “thoroughinvestigation” is “research in selected published and documentary sources of known or presumedrelevance that are readily accessible without extensive travel and that promise expeditiousextraction of relevant data”. 10 Archival materials studied in this process came from repositoriesof information considered of primary importance to the CLR including the Library of Congress,the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, the St. Elizabeths Hospital HealthSciences Library, the St. Elizabeths Database compiled by ZAI for the General ServicesAdministration, and previous research conducted by Robinson & Associates. It should be notedthat archival documents related to St. Elizabeths are extensive and can be found among therecords of several federal agencies. These records are maintained in the record groups at theseagencies to include those at the National Archives and the Washington National Records Center.Additional records originally housed at St. Elizabeths are currently located at the AmericanInstitute of Architects headquarters in Washington DC. ZAI reviewed these documents as theyrelated to St. Elizabeths buildings, but not specifically for landscape evidence. These recordswere supplemented by materials gathered in the prior St. Elizabeths Hospital West CampusLandscape Assessment Report, conducted by Heritage Landscapes in 2005 for FMG Architectsand GSA. The AIA records were not available for review for the CLR research. However,these were reviewed during the prior effort of building assessment by FMG Architects for thedevelopment of the Building, Landscape and Archaeological Assessment, St. Elizabeths HospitalWest Campus, and are thought to be largely duplicative of other archival collections.The archival research effort involved the cataloging of research already undertaken andinvestigation of other sources of information with the primary goal to gain an understanding ofthe character, features, and details of the West Campus landscape as it evolved over time. Thisprocess revealed several historical periods of development and changes to the landscape. Writtenand graphic materials were compiled in a set of six chronologically arranged three-ring bindersas well as digital files. This research led to the creation of Appendix B: St. Elizabeths HospitalWest Campus Landscape Chronology. References used in the chronology appear in Appendix C:Historic Documents Composite Spreadsheet.I.7Heritage Landscapes and Robinson & Associates, Inc.

ST. ELIZABETHS WEST CAMPUS CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORTChapter I: Historic Landscape Assessment Introduction and MethodologyD2. Period Plan DevelopmentThe narrative history of the CLR relies on period plans as well as historical images anddocuments. Period plans convey the historic landscape character and appearance of the hospitallandscape at particular points in time. A period plan is defined as “the graphic format used torecord a landscape during a designated period or specific date.” 11 The objective in developing aperiod plan is to accurately portray the landscape during an identified, documented period oftime through research and study of graphic materials of the period. Research and study ofgraphic materials for the period precedes period plan development. The process proceeds withidentifying and evaluating character defining features for each landscape unit in each determinedperiod in order to portray the landscape. The period plan is the resulting aggregate of theinformation contained in various historical sources. In this way the period plans articulate thehistory, ownership evolution, changes over time, with the existing conditions plan demonstratingthe level of continuity and change within the landscape today.Heritage Landscapes developed period plans from all available archival materials discovered inresearch for each time period. Historical documents included sketches, photographs, maps, andplans as well as written records such as personal correspondence, papers, and diary entries.Source documents were determined for each period of ownership and the period plans closelyreflected those sources in content. Secondary sources were used to confirm, clarify, orilluminate additional details to the extent possible. Period plans and the current plan developedfor St. Elizabeths Hospital address the origins and evolution of the landscape to the present. ThisCLR includes period plans for the eras of Nichols, Godding, and Richardson and White. Theseplans are annotated and highlighted as appropriate to serve as references for the historicalnarrative. The historical narratives associated with the period plans are written in the presenttense. This is a deliberate choice, intended to clearly establish the period plan and narrative ascontemporary creations, based on historic sources, rather than historic documents themselves.An important component of the development of a period plan was establishing a uniform methodof sizing the tree canopy symbols based on the number years elapsed between periods. Treecanopy sizes correspond to the diameter at breast height (dbh) of the tree trunk. 12 On the plans,the crown of each tree is shown in a size range related to the dbh. The process of deciding whichtrees on the West Campus existed in a particular period in the past required determining howquickly trees grow on the site given its particular climate, location, and soils. A specific rate ofgrowth was determined for deciduous, ornamental, evergreen, and broadleaf evergreen tree typesby comparing the measured dbh of existing trees with the estimated dbh of trees in a 1947 aerialphotograph. The dbh of trees in 1947 was projected by measuring the diameter of a tree’s canopyin the aerial photograph. Using the tree sizing protocol explained in Chapter VI: St. ElizabethsHospital Existing Landscape, measured tree canopies were assigned a particular range ofprobable dbh sizes. Change in dbh between 1947 and the date of CLR fieldwork allows for thecalculation of rates of growth. Using this protocol, Heritage Landscapes developed the followinggrowth rates per decade for tree types:• Deciduous and ornamental tree growth rate at four inches per decade• Evergreen and broadleaf evergreen tree growth rate at three inches per decadeI.8Heritage Landscapes and Robinson & Associates, Inc.

ST. ELIZABETHS WEST CAMPUS CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORTChapter I: Historic Landscape Assessment Introduction and MethodologyTrees on period plans were developed using this protocol. For example, an existing 48-inch redoak is represented on Plan IV.3: 1937 Period Plan as a 20-inch red oak, to account for change intrunk girth over the past seven decades. While this tree sizing protocol is very useful as a guide,individual variations occur due to different growing conditions across the hospital landscapesuch as variations in soil, nutrient availability, disturbance history, care, etc. Information onspecific tree plantings from photographs or written documents is also taken into account indetermining the presence or absence of trees for a particular period. One example is the allée ofwhite oaks that run from the north end of the Center Building to Gate No.1. The allée appears onan 1860 topographical plan of the hospital and was planted as a single feature although theremaining trees currently range in dbh from 60 to 40 inches. In these cases, the entire grouping istreated as a whole and retained onto early period plans in this CLR.D3. Existing Conditions Field Reconnaissance and AssessmentAn important parallel task to developing the history of the hospital is the inventorying andrecording of the property’s existing character and conditions. Performing the historic documentreview in conjunction with existing conditions field reconnaissance process can highlightobscure details and historic landscape remnants. This procedure also serves to compare thehistoric and existing conditions as an aid to the analysis process. Field investigations,photography, recent maps, plans, and aerial photographs all contribute to an illustrated narrativeand plan that details the character-defining features of the existing landscape.The scope of work calls for the incorporation of the 2005 St. Elizabeths Hospital West CampusLandscape Assessment Report by Heritage Landscapes in order to present existing conditions ofthe landscape. The assessment presented in the existing conditions chapter reflects the conditionof the landscape in 2007 based on field observations.For the 2005 Landscape Assessment Report, Heritage Landscapes assessed vegetation and builtelements. The Heritage Landscapes field crew worked in teams to test and coordinate conditioncategory judgments. The work progressed in several steps. Plans developed in the landscapeassessment and recent aerial photographs were used to conduct field reconnaissance of the entireproperty and update and expand the 2005 inventory results. The team carried out conditionreview of the entire landscape on the West Campus. Landscape Units 1 and 2 were the focus forthe tree collection and the area of greatest intensity for built elements. Roads, paths, fences andwalls were also assessed in Landscape Units 3, 4 and 5, and woodland areas were inventoried forsignificant specimens and recorded for a species list. Digital photographs of landscape featuresand character were collected throughout. Field notes were used to refine and update the 2005AutoCAD base drawing to become the base for the 2007 existing conditions plans. The planspresenting existing conditions, the assessment for the tree collection, and the assessment of builtelements in Chapter VI are visually accurate but not surveyed to precise dimensions in the field.The categorization of condition and coding process is described in detail in Chapter VI. Thesheet layout of existing conditions assessments of vegetation and built elements throughout thereport are depicted on Plan I.1: 2007 Existing Conditions Key Map.I.9Heritage Landscapes and Robinson & Associates, Inc.

ST. ELIZABETHS WEST CAMPUS CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORTChapter I: Historic Landscape Assessment Introduction and MethodologyD4. Analysis of Significance and IntegrityTwo terms frequently used in relation to assessing historic resources are integrity andsignificance. Integrity is the degree to which the historic character and qualities of the culturallandscape are evident today. Significance is the historic importance of a property, the criteriaunder which it is eligible for National Register listing. For this asylum landscape, the shaping ofthe upland plateau as an ornamental landscape of beauty and serenity and the development of theagricultural landscape for therapeutic labor is inextricably linked to the mission and developmentof St. Elizabeths. The Civil War cemetery is also an important designed landscape component ofthe property.The period of significance for the property is examined based on the known history andlandscape character over time. In this detailed investigation it is important to study and assessthe landscape as a continuum through time. It is useful to think of the period of significance asthe duration of time in which the property still possesses its historical value and intact characterdefiningfeatures. The landscape of St. Elizabeths West Campus is historically significant for itssiting, development and uses as a therapeutic, scenic landscape that served as the setting for thetreatment of patients. The moment at which a property loses significant elements of its historicalcharacter is often the point at which the period of significance ends. The period of significance isspecified in this CLR but may vary for different groups of resources. The investigation into thehistory and existing conditions of the site provides a basis for assessing the period ofsignificance. Heritage Landscapes judges that the end of the period of significance occurs at thepoint in time when the final landscape changes are made that contribute to its history andcharacter, and subsequent changes erode and alter the historic character and features. The periodof significance for the West Campus landscape spans from 1852, with the initial development ofthe hospital grounds, to the early 1940s when the significant modification and loss of originalelements is noted.Once the period of significance has been framed, the historic character of the property during theperiod is compared and thoroughly analyzed against the existing conditions. Comparing theperiod of significance to the existing conditions helps to determine the amount of continuity andchange and assess the overall integrity of the property. A property’s significance and integritycan be appropriately evaluated by understanding landscape change in a holistic manner. At thispoint, landscape treatment options are explored in an informed manner. Today the overallcharacter and many of the features of the St. Elizabeths West Campus landscape remain intact,discernable, and subject to preservation treatment in terms of as the guidelines set forth in thisCLR.D5. Landscape Preservation Treatment GuidelinesPotential preservation treatments as established in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards forthe Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes(Guidelines) are preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. The application andexploration of each of these treatments is discussed in narrative. Future use objectives of theWest Campus are also discussed as these relate to the treatment interventions that are considered.I.10Heritage Landscapes and Robinson & Associates, Inc.

ST. ELIZABETHS WEST CAMPUS CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORTChapter I: Historic Landscape Assessment Introduction and MethodologyWhen selecting an appropriate treatment option for the historic landscape, several factors areconsidered. These include the legislative mandate or mission statement of the historic property,the current conditions, and uses, maintenance and management practices, and future goals. Forany historic property, preservation of the remaining historic character and features is an essentialelement of future stewardship. Care of the designed cultural landscape at the West Campus of St.Elizabeths Hospital is an important element for the preservation of the legacy of the historicinstitutions of our nation.I.11Heritage Landscapes and Robinson & Associates, Inc.

ST. ELIZABETHS WEST CAMPUS CULTURAL LANDSCAPE REPORTChapter I: Historic Landscape Assessment Introduction and MethodologyCHAPTER I: ENDNOTES1Dorothea Dix crusaded for better treatment of the insane from around 1848. Her efforts yielded a Congressionalappropriation of $100,000 in 1852. Dix’s friend, psychiatrist Charles Nichols, was superintendent as cited in “St.Elizabeths Hospital Archaeological Management Plan” Francines W. Bromberg, MA, Holly Heston, MA, ElizabethCromwell, PhD. Devrouax & Purnell Architects & Planners, (September 1993): 42.2Charles A. Birnbaum, with Christine Capella Peters, Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment ofHistoric Properties with Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes, (Washington DC: 1996): 5. Robert R.Page, Cathy A. Gilbert, Susan A. Dolan, A Guide to Cultural Landscape Reports: Contents, Process, andTechniques, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Cultural Resource Stewardship andPartnerships, Park Historic Structures and Cultural Landscapes Program (Washington DC: 1998): 12.3Birnbaum with Capella Peters, Guidelines: 5.4Birnbaum with Capella Peters, Guidelines: 5.5Birnbaum with Capella Peters, Guidelines: 12.6Federal publications referencing cultural landscapes consulted in this effort also include Director’s Order #28:Cultural Research Management Guideline, Chapter 7, Management of Cultural Landscapes.7Compliance discussion in Director’s Order #28: Cultural Research Management Guideline, Release No. 5 (1997):95.8NPS, Director’s Order #28: 93 and other documents cited.9Boundary description is described in Historic Preservation Review Board, Application for Historic Landmark forHistoric District Designation: Government Hospital for the Insane (St. Elizabeths Hospital), January 2005.10 Director’s Order #28: Cultural Research Management Guideline, National Park Service, Chapter 2: Research(Release 5, 1997): 93.11Page, Gilbert, Dolan, A Guide to Cultural Landscape Reports: 54.12Diameter at breast height is defined as 4.5 feet above the ground plane on the uphill side of the tree.I.12Heritage Landscapes and Robinson & Associates, Inc.