| January 10, 2005
The (Un)Lucky
Seven
The
Cultural Landscape Foundation spotlights seven endangered working
landscapes with natural, scenic, and cultural value.
The Cultural Landscape Foundation has released its latest Landslide
list detailing seven landscape architecture sites that are in danger
of falling into irreparable disrepair—threatened by neglect,
ignorance, poor planning, and encroaching development. This year’s
list highlights working landscapes that are threatened throughout
the country, from a 70-acre Pueblo village to a 120-year-old dockyard
and the home of horseracing legend Seabiscuit.
The foundation describes these landscapes as “the cornerstone
of the American experience” and says they are continually
threatened by residential and industrial sprawl. “Millions
of acres of rural landscapes, from family farms to ranchlands, as
well as formerly active industrial sites, have been gouged out,
stripped, flattened and covered with asphalt,” the foundation
contends.
Although the theme of “working landscapes” may not
seem like an obvious choice for a preservation effort, it is a good
fit for the foundation’s mission. “We’re interested
in having people think of landscapes as having a myriad of assets;
and those include natural, scenic, and cultural assets,” says
Charles Birnbaum, FASLA, founder of The the Cultural Landscape Foundation.
“These sites embody these ideals, with a particular emphasis
on culture.” He adds that many conservation groups focus solely
on preserving natural and scenic beauty but often neglect the cultural
value of sites.
The list is compiled through an open nomination process. However,
only groups that can actually make a difference by collecting money
and heading up restoration and preservation efforts can participate.
This ensures that the list will be able to make a difference. “Our
purpose is to shine a spotlight on these sites,” Birnbaum
says. “We’re creating leverage to help save these places.”
Descriptions and photos of the Landslide sites can be found on
the foundation website at www.TCLF.org/landslide.
But for quick reference, here’s a rundown of this year’s
list:
Acoma
Pueblo; Acoma, New Mexico. A 70-acre village located
on top of a tall mesa and continuously inhabited since the late
1300s, this village is one of the oldest urban settlements in the
United States. It is threatened by encroaching construction and
technology as well as the loss of tradition.
Agate
Bay; Lake Superior, Minnesota. People have been using
this 120-year-old dockyard through the 1970s. It includes mammoth
concrete and steel docks ranging from 962 to 1,432 feet long. It
is threatened by encroaching residential development.
Orson
Adams House; Harrisburg, Utah. The sole remnant of
a 19th-century Mormon development, this house and its surrounding
100 acres provide an invaluable history of Western farming. While
a recent federal acquisition will protect the immediate site, the
surrounding area is plagued by vandalism and development.
Buckland,
Virginia. Visited by Presidents Washington, Jefferson,
Madison, and Monroe, as well as Generals Lafayette and Lee, this
town still has most of its original buildings and landscapes. It
is threatened by suburban sprawl and road construction.
Cienega
Corridor; Vail, Arizona. Located just outside Tucson,
the corridor contains American Indian archaeological sites and remnants
of 19th-century westward expansion. Area population growth—26
percent since 1990—threatens to engulf the landscape.
Ridgewood
Ranch; Willits, California. A working ranch for almost
150 years, Ridgewood continues to produce meat, dairy, timber, and
organic foods. It was also home to the legendary Seabiscuit. Parts
of the ranch are likely to be subdivided in the near future.
Whitney
Farm; Sherborn, Massachusetts. A 35-acre dairy and
poultry farm originally developed in the 18th century. A development
company purchased the farm and plans to subdivide it for housing.
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