CRM, Grave Issues, Also: Diagnosing Moisture, The Antiquities Act Is 90 Years Old, Volume 19, No. 7... U.S. Department of the Interior... 1996

41 Pages·1996·11.8 MB·English

by  Department of the Interior

Nvasion for Parks, FederAb ies, .!
act Pesorates, Local Governments, * ‘te
e rivgite Sector .
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VOLYME19 | NO.7
ty
PUBLISHED BY THE Contents VOLUME 19 NO.7 = 1996
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ISSN 1068-4999
—_———————
To promote and maintain high standards
ANNOUNCING CRM ON-LINE
for preserving and managing cultural
resources CRM is now on the World Wide Web, An electronic version of current
and past issues, and an index, can be accessed through the CRM home-
page at http:/Awww.cr.nps.gov/erm
DIRECTOR
Roger G. Kennedy
DEPARTMENTS
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Katherine H. Stevenson
Point of View 1... .. 0 cee eee ee ete eee eee eeeeeeeeeenenennnane 3
EDITOR SD SO ik oe 55s ee a a es 4
Ronald M. Greenberg
Preservation Resources ........ 0c eee ee ee ee eee ee eee eee eee F
+, re rr ee a ae 35
PRODUCTION MANAGER Bulletin Board . 0.000ee ee0e eee0 eee n0ee een nnnae 35
Karlota M. Koester
ADVISORS FEATURES
David Andrews
Editor, NPS
ee igus 6 04 8 ae A Aha 40 es 7
joan Bacharach
Museurn Registrar, NPS Restoring Boston's Historic Burying Grounds
Randall |. Biallas Elizabeth A. Shepard
Historical Architect, NPS
Susan Bugpey
Director, Historical Services Branch Diagnosing Moisture in Historic Buildings ..............0004 veae OF
Parks Canada
Sharon C. Park
john A. Burns
Archicect, NPS
Harry A. Butowsky Have You Checked Your Pocketknife Lately? . 0.0.0.0c0 ce.e .eee. e en 15
Historian, NPS
Pratt Cassity Jeanne M. Harold
Executive Director,
National Alliance of Preservation Commissions
Muriel Crespi
90 Years of Archeology and Historic Preservation ........ 17
Cultural Anthropologist, NPS
Craig W. Davis
Francis P. McManamon
Archeologist, NPS
Mark R. Edwards
Director, Historic Preservation Division, The Antiquities Act—Setting Basic Preservation Policies ............. 18
State Historic Preservation Officer, Georgia
Francis P. McManamon
John Hnedak
Architectural Historian, NPS
Roger E. Kelly
In Defense of Digging «6.6.6... 6 cc cece eee eee e eee nes 23
Archeologist, NPS
Antoinette |. Lee Archeological Preservation as a Means, Not an End
Historian, NPS William D. Lipe
lohn Poppeliers
International Liaison Officer
for Cultural Resources, NPS The Antiquities Act—Regulating Salvage of Historic Shipwrecks ....... 28
Brit Allan Storey Caroline M. Zander
Historian, Bureau of Reclamation
Federal Preservation Forum
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Stephen A. Morris
Certified Local Governments (CLG) Coordinator, NPS
Kay D. Weeks
Technical Writer-Editor, NPS
CONSULTANT
Wm. H. Freeman
Design, Imaging, Production-Freeman Publishing Services
Statements of fact and views are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect an opinion or endorsement on the part of the editors, the CRM
advisors and consultants, or the National Park Service. Send articles, news items, and correspondence to the Editor, CRM (2250), U.S. Department of the Interior,
National Park Service, Cultural Resources, PO. Box 37127, Washington, DC 20013-7127; (202-343-3395, FAX [phone], Internet: [email protected]).
2 CRM N° 7—1996
Departments
PRESERVATION RESOURCES POINT OF VIEW NCPTT STATE NEWS
POINT OF historic preservation a disservice 1993, this is what happened to
by using the example of Dead- Deadwood, You can't even escape
VIEW
wood, SD, to make “A Case for gambling in’ the supermarket,
Legalized Gaming.” where slot machines line the front
In short, it's a case for pre- window.
Letters serving buildings but forsaking “Not all the citizens of Dead-
people and communities. Paying wood are comfortable with the
Gaming or Gambling? for preservation through gambling changes in their city,” Ackerman
proceeds, in the words of a Dead- acknowledges. “Residents are
wood preservation advocate, is unable to shop where they used to,
Dear Editor
“like trying to make a bargain with and their lifestyle has been
With a few exceptions, the
the Devil.” crimped by increased traffic and
article by William V. Ackerman,
Like most of its proponents, lack of parking.”
“Financing Historic Preservation
Ackerman attempts to sanitize Their “lifestyle has been
in Rural Communities: A Case for
gambling by calling it “gaming,” as crimped?” One may as well say the
Legalized Gaming” (Vol. 19, No.
if this form oi “financing” were same about seriously-injured peo-
4), employs throughout the “gam-
some kind of disembodied and ple who have been raced to the
ing” euphemism invariably used
neutral revenue device, as innocu- hospital, while noting of their
by the gambling industry. It's clear
ous as tiddly-winks, or as whole- totaled car only that one tire is flat.
why those promoting legalized
some as Little League baseball. Yes, some residents have struck it
gambling favor this term: while
Instead, slot machines—the rich through gambling. But Acker-
“gambling” carries a lot of negative
most ubiquitous form of gambling man fails to report the true dam-
baggage, who could be against
in Deadwood—are deviously age. Among the casualties: legal-
playing games? It’s less clear why
engaging bottomless boxes which ized gambling displaced from
an official publication of the
dehumanize people drawn to them Deadwood's downtown virtually
National Park Service has to abet
and destabilize communities that everything people regularly rely
the industry's PR campaign in this
permit them. Of all the ways to on—hardware, pharmacy, laun-
way.
invest our hopes for the future (or dromat, barbershop and the like—
—Barry Mackintosh
avoid unhappiness about the past in favor of enterprises that exclu-
Historian, NPS
Or present) slot machines are sively feed and feed off tourists.
among the most pernicious. Mes- What those tourists experi-
Dear Editor
merized by beeps and _ blinking ence in this National Register His-
William V. Ackerman’s arti-
lights, people throw money away toric Landmark District on Main
cle (“Financing Historic Preserva-
and become compulsive, dead- Street is a bogus “history.” An
tion in Rural Communities,” CRM
Slot machines in eyed lever-pullers while sitting over-restored late-19th and early-
Vol. 19, No. 4) does the cause of
Deadwood, SD. inside in degrading spaces. 20th-century commercial district is
Because slot machines make employed as a stage set for
so much profit, they are a disin- attempts to evoke an earlier gold
centive for a community to operate rush/wild west atmosphere with
any other kind of business, except which the restored architecture
selling alcohol, which gamblers never co-existed.
consume to dull the awareness of Moreover, that atmosphere
their multiple losses or to cele- glamorizes 19th-century greed and
brate infrequent successes. Thus, violence in a way that we can
every available building is turned appreciate only by imagining that
Over to as many slot machines as the late 21st century will interpret
permitted or will fit inside, and the our present urban culture solely by
community becomes a slave to its re-enacting drive-by shootings.
cash cow idol. From what I saw in From the tombstones for Wild Bill
CRM N& 7—1996
Hickok and Calamity Jane up on retains a Streamline-style gas sta- Maybe so, But that doesn't
Boot Hill, to Wild Bill's “death tion, as well as a range of building mean the same strategy and out-
chair" displayed behind glass on a types and styles that span historic come is desirable for other historic
wall along with stuffed and eras, rural towns that don't want to save
mounted animals, to the implied Then there is Deadwood their buildings and lose their soul
link between gunslinger poker and Creek itself, where gold was dis- in the bargain,
slot machines, Deadwood romanti- covered, setting in motion every- —Richard J. Ewald
cizes desperation and death, which thing that produced a town here. Architectural Historian
Ackerman breezily glosses as “an But this foremost reason for Dead- Westminster, Vermont
exciting history of gold, outlaws, wood's very existence is now out of
and gunfighters.” sight, gathered into a storm sewer
Well, more than the brief culvert running under the highway WASHINGTON
period of local history that that parallels Main Street. One of
REPORT
involved — get-rich-quick loners the best uses for the steady stream
prospecting for gold and murder- of preservation funds from gam-
ous low-lives drinking in the bling—besides supporting a local
Cultural Resource Programs
saloons, much more of Dead- chapter of Gamblers Anonymous—
Management Council
wood's past and present economy would be to bury the highway
and culture is based on the open- under a Deadwood Creek restored
A Message from
pit, industrial-scale gold-mining to the surface.
the Associate Director
that was still going on three years Evaluating historic cultural
During my first year as Asso-
ago. This is the activity, I'm told, resources requires us to consider
ciate Director for Cultural
that built a community in Dead- the human values that produced
Resource Stewardship and Part-
wood, bringing people to construct them, and which also destroy or
nerships, it became clear to me
both that commercial Main Street sustain them. For thousands of
that if we were to make progress
and residences on the surrounding years, that creek was valued by
toward achieving any of our strate-
slopes. Native Americans for its fresh
gic goals in the cultural, recre-
High above Deadwood water and associated wildlife.
ation, and partnership programs, I
Gulch, on a residential street Then, because white European
needed to find a way to encourage
where tourists never go, the roof on immigrants assigned extremely
wider involvement in policy and
a one-car garage provides eloquent high value to a shiny metal, the
budget matters in my Associate-
testimony to that longer, stable, place took on the feverish greed of
ship.
sober but creative chapter of local those who came in pursuit of gold.
After examining — several
history. The garage was built in the Now, in the pursuit of tourist dol-
options, I decided to establish a
1930s by a worker in the gold lars, legalized gambling is re-
Management Council. The role of
refinery to shelter his first car. To enacting that earlier period more
this Council is to advise me on
sheath the roof, he brought home thoroughly and lastingly than the
how the strategic plan can best be
from work empty cyanide cans reenactments of gunfights on Main
turned into action, including pol-
whose lids he flattened and fas- Street.
icy, budget, and work products as
tened down like overlapping shin- Ackerman notes: “Dead-
well as the development of criteria
gles. This vernacular garage roof is wood has been a National Historic
for allocating funds. The Council
like much « ° Deadwood'’s historic Landmark since 1961, recognized
will also educate and advise each
cultural resources that are under- for its representation of the eco-
other on the stewardship and part-
valued in the current obsession nomic and social effects of western
nership programs. It will act as
with such creepy icons as Wild mining booms.” Today's gambling
advocates for these programs
Bill's alleged so-called “death boom is bringing its own economic
inside the NPS and with the pub-
chair.” and social effects. But Ackerman
lic. It will advise me on matters of
For example, a Chinese focuses exclusively on the econom-
public policy, professional prac-
inscription on a tiny headstone in ics of restoring buildings, and fails
tices and methodologies for the
a different part of the cemetery to recognize the social effects of
programs, and will provide a
where Hickok is buried is a touch- the gambling boom on the commu-
forum for interaction among the
stone to the significant role that nity, including the degradation of
various entities and points of view.
Chinese immigrants played, in the kind of values and diversified
The Council is composed of
building the region's railroads and local economies that healthfully
the WASO program managers in
providing the labor that under- susta > communities.
my Associateship as well as two
pinned the Main Street service Hey, Deadwood was
representatives per Field Area. We
economy long after the gold rush fouriued on gambling,” a resident
meet twice a year as a group but
was over. At the more recent end of told me three years ago. “This is its
sub-committees will meet as nec-
the historic timeline, Deadwood karma.”
CRM N& 7—1996
essary to analyze issues and to rec: would also like to coordinate an each tribe which includes the pop-
ommend action, The Council mem- article, similar to this on the gov- ulation (from 1990 census), trust
bers welcome suggestions and ernmental sources of information. acreage, address, phone, fax num-
advice on topics or solutions, If you have information you would ber, “treaty petition —that is, the
—Kale Slevenson like to see included in such an arti- date of the first treaty signing or
cle, you can write to the Editor, the month, date, year for petitions
CRM or NPS American Indian for government recognition, The
PRESERVATION Liaison Office, National Park Ser- economic portion cites whether
vice (2205), P.O. Box 37127, there are gaming casinos, lodging,
RESOURCES
Washington, DC 20013-7127; tel. newspaper, museunveultural cen-
202-208-5476; fax [phone], ter, and if the main economic base
Indian America, A_ Trav- is in agriculture, fish, minerals,
Publications eler's Companion, 4th edition: ranching, or timber, (2) Native
Eagle/Walking Turtle, 465 pages, American Media: An Overview—
Guidelines for Landscape and 1995, $18.95. Published by John again, organized by state, identi-
Visual Impact Assessment, by the Muir Publications, P.O, Box 613, fies whether the newsletter, news-
Institute of Environmental Assess- Santa Fe, NM 87504; tel. 800-285- paper, is owned by an individual,
ment and Landscape Institute of 4078, ext. 29; or 505-982-4078. tribe, organization, independent
the UK; ISBN: O0-419-20380-X. For ISBN 1-5626-1238-7. or is off reservation, and its fre-
information, contact Chapman and Organized by region and quency—bi-monthly, bi-weekly,
Hall, 115 Fifth Avenue, New York, within region by state. Information quarterly, yearly, weekly, monthly,
by state includes listings for each daily, irregular. Provides address,
NY 10003; 1-800-842-3636.
tribe with complete mailing phone, fax number. The Library
address, phone and fax numbers, Edition includes pictures and
Preservation On-Line News
Launched by CEHP (Conser- location, public ceremony or pow- maps.
vation, Environment & Historic wow dates, art forms, visitor infor- Reference Encyclopedia of
Preservation), Preservation On- mation. Visitor information can the American Indian, 7th edition,
Line News provides first-hand range from a paragraph in length Barry T. Klein, 883 pages, 1995;
information on legislation and to multiple pages. including a his- $125 hardcover; $75 paperback;
public policy issues relating to his- tory of the tribe and of the recre- shipping $5. (8th edition due out
ation resources available, maps, March 1997}. Published by Todd
toric preservation and environ-
mental conservation, plus timely and historical photographs. Publications, P.O. Box 301, West
updates on the top issues of the Native American Directory Nyack, NY 10994, 914-358-6213.
week, as well as occasional analy- Alaska, Canada, United States ISBN 0-915344-45-9 [he.]; 0-
sis of emerging issues. For a free published by National Native 915344-46-7 [pb.].
sample of Preservation On-Line American Cooperative, Fred Syn- Source listings include
News, send a request by email to der, Director, 600 pages, 1996; reservations, communities, tribal
[email protected]. For sub- $125 Library edition; $64.96 US, councils, federally-recognized
scription information, contact $80.95 Canada, $89.95 overseas tribes, government agencies,
for paperback edition [all prices national associations, Native
CEHP, 1627 K Street, NW, Suite
300, Washington, DC 20006; include airmail/priority shipping]. American financial institutions,
202-293-1774. National Native American Cooper- regional, state and local organiza-
ative, P.O. Box 1000, San Carlos, tions, schools, college courses and
Reference Directories on AZ 85550-1000. ISBN 0-9610334- programs, financial aid, Indian
American Indians, Alaska 3-6 [Lib. Ed.]; ISBN 0-9610334-5- Health Services, museums, monu-
Natives and Native Hawaiians 2 [pb. Ed.] ments and parks, libraries and
As cultural resource man- Subtitle cites “galleries, research centers, radio and televi-
agers explore the overlapping Indian stores, trading posts, sion, tribal casinos and bingo
interests they share with Native events, organizations, media out- halls, audiovisual aides [films,
lets, tribal office and reserves.” videos, recordings, computer CD-
Americans in the United States.
many can benefit from reference Information compiled from a vari- ROMS], AV distributors, periodi-
sources that provide useful back- ety of sources such as BIA, US cals, arts and crafts shops and
ground information about the Census, Public Health Service, cooperatives, Native American
range of interests and existing Indian Health Service, Native events; Canadian section with
resources. We have the following Organizations and associations. similar kinds of information. Two
directories and find them useful Two sections of particular interest: sections of particular interest:
but recognize that our collection is (1) Tribal Graphs—organized by (1) Bibliography—alphabetical,
not comprehensive and ask you to state and then tribe, combines a subject, publishers index;
contact us with other sources. We historical and economic profile for (2) Biographies and related index.
CRM N2& 7—1996
Most listings include a brief narra: issuing a series of glorious exhibi- electronic exhibits (a very helpful
tive paragraph which provides very tion catalogs, guide books, and old Innovation in a museum guide that
helpful first-cut information, fashioned picture books celebrat- will encourage later guide use at
Tiller's Guide to Indian ing the Institution, Among the new home)
Country: Economic Profiles of works are: Rare Books and Special
Ameri an Indian Reservations America's — Smithsonian; Collections in the Smithsonian
Veronica E, Velarde Tiller, 712 Celebrating 150 Years, foreword Institution Libraries, Smithson-
pages, 1996; $65.95 [price by I, Michael Heyman, current lan Institution Press, Washington,
includes shipping]. Published by Secretary of the Smithsonian, DC; 1996, 7x10, 108pp., 47 color,
BowArrow Publishing Company, Smithsonian Institution Press, 14 b/w illus,, $19.95, paper. Here
12605 Indian School Road NE, Washington, DC; 1996, 9x12, 288 in one volume is a sample of the
Albuquerque, NM 87112-4719; tel. pp., 342 color photographs; collection highlights of the Smith-
505-298-4774, orders 800-895- $45.00 cloth; $24.95 paper, Cre- sonian’s 18 libraries covering a
8665; fax [phone]. ISBN 1- ated to accompany the traveling wide variety of topics from natural
885931-01-8. exhibition, America’s Smithsonian, history to astronomy; decorative
Organized by state and then this matching volume provides an arts and design to African, Asian,
by tribe. Each listing offers a map excellent overview of the Smith- and American art; and postal his-
of the state, with major highways, sonian's spectacular collections tory to American history. These
cities, and counties, and the loca- ranging from dinosaur fossils and collections include 40,000 rare or
tion of the tribe. Identifies location royal Benin sculpture to Abraham valuable volumes, 1,800 manu-
and land status, culture and his- Lincoln's hat and the Apollo 14 script groups, dating from the
tory, government, economy, eco- command module. The elegant 15th-18th centuries, and 285,600
nomic development projects, gam- photographs alone are worth the trade catalogs and related printed
ing, government as employer, ser- price of the volume. materials, relating to American
vices, tourism and_ recreation, Cogent, well-written text technology, manufacturing, and
infrastructure, community facili- describes images of evocative business, as well as maps, jour-
ties, health care. Provides mailing Objects and the subjects they illus- nals, pamphlets, prints, artifacts,
address, phone number and fax, trate—from Japanese ceramics and and a portion of James Smithson's
and basic statistical information if African-American family keep- library.
available, regarding acreage, total sakes to clothing from the Ghost Ranging from botanical
labor force, education, unemploy- Dance religious movement of the illustrations by Redoute to an
ment, population, tribal enroll- 1880s and images of American almanac by the nation’s earliest
ment. Photographs and maps. inventors’ patent models. To quote celebrated African-American. sci-
—Emogene A. Bevitt the exhibition director, J]. Michael entist and from trade catalogs doc-
Program Specialist Carrigan, the curators involved in umenting American technology
National Park Service the book “begin to suggest how and business to world’s fair publi-
American Indian Liaison Office, Objects become treasures and cations, this richly illustrated
Washington, DC. icons of personal and national sig- handbook introduces world-class
(This office was created in nificance.” This celebratory vol- collections. In the future we can
February 1995, as part of the ume explores the links forged only hope the Smithsonian
National Park Service Restructur- between the American people and Libraries will produce additional
ing Plan. Its mission is to improve the national museum during 15 volumes to exhibit more of their
relationships between American decades of dialog between schol- sterling holdings, such as perhaps
Indian tribes, Alaska Natives, ars, staff, and the general public. one on the outstanding archival
Native Hawaiians and the National Official Guide to the Smith- holdings on design at the Cooper-
Park Service through consultation, sonian. Smithsonian Institution Hewitt. Library Director Barbara
outreach, technical assistance, Press, Washington, DC: 1996. 4 Smith is to be congratulated on a
education, and advisory services.) 13/16 x 8 1/2, 192 pp., 250 color fine introduction to Smithsonian
illus., 12 maps. Provides a lively special collections and rare books.
Reviews overview of the Smithsonian's 16 —Diane Vogt-O'Connor
museums and the National Zoo- Senior Archivist, NPS
logical Park, including for the first
Three from the Smithsonian time the new National Postal Traveler's Guide to the
Museum and the _ National Great Sioux War: The Battle-
Reviewed by
Diane Vogt-O’Connor Museum of the American Indian. fields, Forts, and Related Sites of
This convenient and colorful guide America’s Greatest Indian War.
The Smithsonian Institution includes a review of the Smithson- By Paul L. Hedren. Helena: Mon-
Press is celebrating the 150th ian’s “electronic services,” includ- tana Historical Society Press,
birthday of the Smithsonian by ing World Wide Web addresses and
—continued page 33
CRM N2 7—1996
@ Elizabeth A. Shepard
\)
ee
Grave Issues
Restoring Boston’s Historic Burying Grounds
ecause of their tremendous historic sity of community members—a true honor roll of
and cultural significance and our nation’s Puritans, patriots, and noble citi-
genealogical associations, Boston's zens.
historic burying grounds are some Ranging in date from 1630 to 1841, Boston's
of the country's most important cultural land- burying grounds are located in the heart of nearly
scapes and represent some of the most tangible every neighborhood. These resources are indices
links to our past. Dating back to 17th-century of a community's growth and development. Their
settlement and spanning through the evolution of location serves as an indicator of initial settle-
garden-style “rural” cemeteries, these resources ment. The collection of artifacts, their size, materi-
are collectively a multi-volume history of the als, level of ornamentation, and range of carving
region—a set of three-dimensional textbooks styles chronicle the life of a community and pro-
awaiting perusal. Boston's burying grounds con- vide a revealing cross-section of a community's
tain some of the country's finest and most repre- socio-economics and culture. Ranging in size from
sentative examples of 17th, 18th, and 19th-cen- less than one-half acre to more than three acres,
tury funerary art and iconography. Ranging from most of Boston's burying grounds remain intact,
the starkly foreboding death's head and the although three have lost land to road expansion
peacefully winged cherubic motifs to the refined and building development. Some burying grounds
neo-classical willow-and-urn motif and grand boast a collection of more than 2,500 gravestones
Obelisks and monuments, Boston's gravemarkers and monuments—the predominant material is
and monuments punctuate a lengthy cultural, his- slate, although marble, brownstone, and granite
toric, and aesthetic timeline. Although the nature are well-represented.
of other types of historic and cultural resources Fourteen of the sixteen burying grounds
has been tenuous and fleeting, these landscapes curated by the city have always been municipally
stand steadfast in remembrance of thousands of owned; two were originally associated with “first
Bostonians. Quintessential community spaces, parish” Congregational churches. It is important to
these sites are the final resting places of a diver- note that there are far more than 16 burying
Copp’s Hill Burying Ground (c. 1659) is the second oldest bury-
ing ground in Boston proper.A designated site on Boston’s Freedom
Trail, a 2.5-mile urban walking trail which connects |6 different
sites linked by the Revolutionary War theme, this site is visited by
3,000 people per day during peak tourist season. Located in the
historic North End, a densely-settled neighborhood with a scarcity of
greenspace, Copp’s Hill also serves as an important passive recre-
ational open space for neighborhood residents. Old North Church
steeple is visible in background.
Copp’s Hill Burying Ground is the final resting place of thousands
of Boston citizens and contributors to the process of nation-building,
including the Mather family, generations of prominent and well-pub-
lished religious leaders, Prince Hall, Patriot and founder of the Black
Masonic League; and Robert Newman, who hung the lanterns from
Old North Church to signal a waiting Paul Revere. Copp’s Hill is the
three-dimensional index of the North End community, poignantly
reflecting its | 7th-, |8th-, and |9th-century seafaring economy and \j*
ethnically diverse community. Crafting traditions and people's life’s
work are etched on gravestones for posterity review, including
trades such as “cooper,” “cordwainer,” “shipwright“,s”e a captain,”
etc. Additionally, there are more free blacks buried in this site with
gravestones than any other Boston burying ground. Photo by
Stephen Sears.
CRM N° 7—1996
places in the City of Historic Burying Grounds Initiative (HBGI)
Boston; the other evolved out of this growing concern about the con-
sites range from dition of these invaluable, irreplaceable historic
parish burying resources.
grounds, family In response to this call to action, local and
burying grounds on statewide historic preservation groups gathered in
homesteads, to a round-table fashion to discuss and thoughtfully
sites originally- plot-out a course for the restoration of these cul-
associated with tural landscapes. The sense of urgency, felt by
hospitals. Because many, was tempered !y an acute awareness that
of ownership expedient solutions too often compound the prob-
issues, these bury- lem at hand. The City of Boston Parks and
ing places do not Recreation Department, the proprietor and stew-
fall under city con- ard of the sites, realized that it was imperative
OE lake .
trol. that this restoration effort be a well-conceived,
King’s Chapel Burying Ground (1630) is the old- Four of the carefully-planned endeavor. Therefore, the city
est burying ground in Boston proper. Located in sixteen burying declared a moratorium on all repairs and restora-
downtown Boston, it is a designated site on grounds owned by tion. The round table planning group developed a
Boston's historic Freedom Trail. The final resting the city are desig- “shopping list” or wish list of concerns.
place of Puritans and Patriots, this honor role
nated Freedom The HBGI was born out of these planning
includes John Winthrop, the first governor of the
Trail sites; the sessions. By 1983, a stone-by-stone inventory, a
Massachusetts Bay Colony and “City Upon a Hill”
remaining are massive effort which catalogued every aspect of
visionary; William Dawes, who rode to Lexington
located in Boston's more than 16,000 gravemarkers and monuments,
with Paul Revere to warn John Hancock and
neighbu hoods— was completed by a fleet of supervised volunteers.
Samuel Adams that the British were afoot; Mary
Chilton, who was the first woman to step foot off originally distinct The HBGI sought volunteers and interns through
the Mayflower in Plimouth Colony; and thousands communities which local colleges and universities; and small-scale
of others. Photos by Stephen Sears. were annexed by stipends were secured through the National Trust
The death’s head motif is one of the most Boston in the 19th- for Historic Preservation’s now-defunct Yankee
widely-used carving motifs on Boston’s | 7th and century. By virtue Internship program. The inventory has served a
|8 th-century gravestones. Some historians and of being on the key role in gravemarker reset and conservation
material culturists have correlated the New
Freedom Trail, a projects and is an important resource to genealo-
England settlers’ staunch religious philosophies to
2.5-mile, urban gists and researchers. Since the mid 1980s, bury-
the stark carving motifs and epitaphs. Old City
walking trail which ing ground and cemetery survey work has evolved
Hall is visible in the rearground.
guides approxi- into a refined science; the HBGI's efforts represent
mately 3 million some of the earliest attempts at comprehensive
visitors per year to 16 historic sites linked by a documentation. A lack of funding prohibited pho-
Revolutionary War theme, and by virtue of being tographic documentation of every site.
the final resting places of many notable founding Contemporary inventory efforts are, however,
mothers and fathers, these sites are heavily trav- incorporating photography as an integral, indis-
eled tourist destinations. On the other hand, the pensable component of survey.
neighborhood burying grounds, the burying places In 1985, a Master Plan was funded and
of contributors to more locally-oriented history, commissioned to detail a step-by-step, comprehen-
serve as important passive recreational green- sive restoration and revitalization of each site.
spaces, particularly in neighborhoods where open Produced by a interdisciplinary team of structural
space is at a premium. engineers and landscape architects, this plan
Over the last three centuries, interest in addressed the burying grounds from all preserva-
Boston's burying grounds has waxed and waned tion perspectives—addressing structural, curator-
corresponding with historical, cultural, and ial, archeological, and landscape architectural
genealogical trends—one of the most dominant components—and treated them as organic, com-
trends was the Colonial Revival. In the 1970s, as plex landscapes. The end of 1986 marked the pub-
our nation’s Bicentennial approached, Bostonians lication of this document and the beginning of a
began looking to the tangible evidences of their full-scale implementation of the Plan’s top priori-
heritage. After years of deferred maintenance, ties. The Master Plan articulated clearly that the
Boston citizens felt that the debilitated condition proposed undertaking—the comprehensive
of the burying grounds—a condition which was restoration of Boston’s 16 burying grounds—was a
being realized by towns, municipalities, and grass- $6.1 million endeavor. When considering this fig-
roots groups across the country—was both a dis- ure, it is important to note that, in 1986, this was
grace and a sign of insolent disrespect. Boston's a sum yet to be raised or allocated.
8 CRM N& 7—1996
Because the HBGI was founded on the years, however, many of those early repair
premise of sound preservation planning and attempts failed because of the adhesive material's
implementation, all construction specifications and sensitivity to ultraviolet rays, thermal conditions,
drawings produced for projects have complied with and external stresses. In the early 1990s, the
the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the HBGI started to specify a mortar-patch method, a
Treatment of Historic Structures. Many of the bury- high-lime content mortar, on both slate and mar-
ing grounds are located in historic or conservation ble; this method has proven successful to date.
districts or are listed individually on the National Very limited brownstone conservation and marble
Register of Historic Places. Design review is, consolidation has been pursued.
therefore, a necessary component of the restora- In instances where funds are yet to be raised
tion process. Although selection of designer ser- or successful adhesive repair is not likely, grave-
vices and construction award is based on the pub- marker and monument fragments which are in
lic bid process, the HBGI includes language in danger of theft or further vandalism are invento-
Requests for Qualifications (for design services) ried and removed from the site and placed in the
and bid advertisements which specifies a manda- City of Boston's Archaeology Laboratory. The pri-
tory number of years experience in dealing with mary mission of the fragment collection program is
historic landscapes, historic masonry structures, to curate fragments until they can be returned to
trees in historic landscapes, etc. In addition, many the field. Based on a set of criteria, the HBGI pro-
specifications have required contractors to employ ject manager assesses the fragments’ ability to be
an archeologist, industrial hygienist, or other spe- safely reset in the field. If fragments are not large
cially-trained professionals to address unique or intact enough to be safely reset according to the
aspects of a specific HBGI specifications, they are permanenily acces-
project. sioned into the fragment collection. This collection
Using the pri- is curated by the City of Boston's Archaeologist.
orities detailed in With annual appropriations from the City of
the Master Plan, the Boston Office of Capital Planning and significant
HBGI pursued the infusions of private money, over the past 10 years
projects which pre- the HBGI completed nearly $4 million in restora-
sented the greatest tion work—or approximately one-half of the origi-
risk to visitors and nal priority list. Defined as a public/private coop-
passers-by (i.e. lean- erative venture, the HBGI was granted 501(c)(3)
ing and bulging status via a City of Boston Trust Fund account.
walls and heaved The Fund for Parks and Recreation, the HBGI’s
walkways) and to fiscal agent, provides the program with the ability
the resources them- to seek and receive funds from charitable founda-
The Joseph Tapping stone (1678) is one of the
selves (i.e. hazard tions, corporations, and individuals. To the extent
most iconographically-significant gravemarkers in
trees which could allowed by law, the Fund for Parks and Recreation
King’s Chapel Burying Ground. This work of art
damage gravemark- provides a tax-deductible, charitable opportunity
features the reverse “S” scroll, the hourglass,
ers and monuments, for contributors.
Father Time snuffing out the candle of life, and
elements which were In addition to having a Master Plan as a pri-
the Latin inscriptions “Fugit Hora” [time flies] and
“Memento Mori” [remember death]. Photo by debilitated to the ority/need-based guide, one of the keys to success-
Annmarie Rowlands. point of losing ful fundraising and site management grew out of
integrity). Because relationships with local constituents and corporate
the stability of many “friends.” Seeking local interest and support, the
of the below-grade tombs and vaults had been HBGI forged strong partnerships with organiza-
compromised seriously by age and originally-defi- tions such as neighborhood associations, historical
cient construction methodologies, perimeter/retain- societies, corporate abutters; formal “friends”
ing walls and tombs were the first to be addressed groups resulted. “Friends” groups are truly the
via annual allocations from the city’s Office of “eyes and ears” of these resources, and in some
Capital Planning. cases have assumed varying levels of responsibil-
Gravestone and monument conservation and ity. For example, members of the Friends of Copp’s
reset was funded largely by private and state Hill Burying Ground, a formally incorporated
sources. The HBGI has followed a series of differ- group, open and close the site daily and water
ent conservation specifications. In the beginning, newly-installed trees. The corporate Friends of the
under the leadership of Columbia University’s Granary Burying Ground serve as a key funder for
Preservation Program, the HBGI specified the use construction projects and public programming
of epoxy repair techniques and later polyester efforts. The combination of public and private dol-
resins for adhesive repair of gravestones. After 5-7
CRM N2 7—1996
With the guidance of the HBGI, dedicated commu-
nity groups participated in annual clean-ups which
worked to carve the originally-intended features
and planned components out of the landscapes.
Because of damage to the artifacts, the
Master Plan mandated the implementation of new
maintenance techniques. These techniques
included the elimination of side-collecting lawn-
mowers to reduce scratching and chipping dam-
age, and the use of plastic-whip weedwackers.
Dedicated weekly maintenance and seasonally
appropriate work has made a significant impact on
how these sites contribute to local streetscapes.
Likewise, the community's treatment and percep-
tion of them has changed. Correspondingly, with
increased care and activity, there has been a
reduction in mistreatment, vandalism, and general
The Franklin obelisk is one of the most visible and visited architectural urban misuse.
elements in the Granary Burying Ground (1660).The Granary is located on Because trees are some of the most visible
Boston's Freedom Trail. Benjamin Franklin, born in Boston, erected this elements in these landscapes, and in some cases,
Quincy—granite obelisk in memory of his parents. This burying place has represent some of the oldest trees in a given neigh-
more founding fathers than any other burying ground in Boston. This honor borhood, pruning, removal, and installation is also
role includes Patriots Paul Revere and James Otis; john Hancock, Samuel an important management focus. Trees have ines-
Adams, and Robert Treat Paine, signers of the Declaration of Independence
timable value in urban landscapes and are true
(Paine was also a signer of the Constitution); victims of the Boston
character-defining features of these evolving
Massacre; and Benjamin Franklin's parents. Photo byA nnmarie Rowlands.
resources. Many of these sites had significant
19th-century “lives,” a time when landscape plans
lars, partnering of efforts, and shared stewardship
were created and implemented. In a commitment
initiatives have been highly productive.
to interpret these sites in a comprehensive way,
In the mid-1980s, the maintenance compo-
the HBGI curates both artifactual and living com-
nent of Boston's 16 inactive burying grounds was
ponents. The HBGI has addressed tree manage-
transferred from the city's Cemetery Division to a
ment via annual city tree contracts and other pub-
three-man crew administered by the Parks and
lic and private funding sources.
Recreation Department. Deferred maintenance
In 1996, the HBGI is celebrating its ten-year
had created overgrown, uncontrolled landscapes.
anniversary. In an effort to continue preservation
projects, the Parks Department is preparing to
embark upon a reevaluation of the HBGI’s site-by-
site Master Plan. This project will be contracted to
Located in the Granary
an interdisciplinary professional team, which will
Burying Ground (1660),
include a structural engineer and landscape archi-
the third oldest burying
ground in Boston proper, tect. The goals of the project are to chart the
the Ruth Carter (1697- HBGI's progress and evaluate remaining needs,
98) stone is one of the update site-specific and comprehensive cost esti-
finest and most represen- mates, and re-map sites to reflect existing condi-
tative examples of colo- tions. Because of the Boston Parks Department's
nial gravestone carving. commitment to public process, the HBGI’s
Unlike most other con-
Community Advisory Board will be reactivated and
temporary carvings of like
consist of representatives of each neighborhood.
subjects, the Carter stone
All findings will be published in a volume which
illustrates well-propor-
will replace The Boston Experience, the HBGI’s cur-
tioned skeletons stariding
rent publication. The Department anticipates com-
on Doric column bases.
Some believe that this pletion by Fall 1997.
carver used medical
books from England as a Elizabeth A. Shepard is a Project Manager with
template for his carving. Historic Burying Grounds Initiative.
Photo by Annmarie
Rowlands.
10 CRM N° 7—1996