Kaiser Center, Oakland, CA | Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, HALS CA-3-9
Since the Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) was established in 2000 to document our country's dynamic landscapes, much progress has been made in identifying and documenting historically significant designed and vernacular cultural landscapes. As documentation is submitted, the full list of HALS sites continues to grow. At the start of 2014, information on more than 450 sites was accessible on the Library of Congress’ website. There are more than 990 sites on the current list.
Below are a selection of documented HALS sites from across the United States that focus on a shared theme or feature, with links to the selected landscapes' documentation on the Library of Congress’ website. This page will be updated periodically to highlight different themes.
HALS Highlights
Since 2010, landscape architecture preservation enthusiasts from every state have been challenged to complete at least one HALS short format history to increase awareness of particular cultural landscapes. The theme for the 2023 HALS Challenge is Working Landscapes. The deadline for submissions is July 31, and the winners of the HALS Challenge will be announced during the ASLA Conference on Landscape Architecture. For more on the HALS Challenge and this year's theme, see The Field:
The 2023 HALS Challenge: Working Landscapes
Consider Participating in the 2023 HALS Challengeby Douglas Nelson, ASLA
An Introduction to Historic Working Landscapesby David Driapsa, FASLA
HALS Documented Sites
The complete list of HALS sites is viewable online, and most of these sites (all those with geospatial data) are on the map below: