Abstract:
Methods of selecting cultural landscapes by current leading organizations
are successful, however, this paper argues that an expanded definition of
‘cultural landscape’, a less restrictive landscape age requirement, and local
criteria should be included in the process. These additions strengthen cultural
landscape selection outcomes and ensures that landscape selections reflect
the unique local identity of a place.
This study analyzes the stages integral to selecting cultural landscapes for
preservation purposes within the United States by three highly regarded
organizations and an associated program. These stages include identification,
evaluation, and prioritization of cultural landscapes while the organizations
and programs featured are: the National Park Service’s National Register
of Historic Places program, The Cultural Landscape Foundation’s What’s
Out There Weekend program, and the Society of Architectural Historians’
Archipedia program. This project compares and critiques each program and
synthesizes findings to create a location-based method of cultural landscape
assessment.
To apply the proposed process, and to highlight the relationship between
project outcomes and target audiences, a publicly accessible educational
guidebook of Portland, Oregon is created.
