Inventories and surveys, nominations to Historic Registers, developing contexts, and taking part in public outreach and education – these are just a few of the Architectural History services that Metcalf provides. As a Cultural Resource Management (CRM) firm, it is our responsibility to ask questions such as “what can we learn from past architecture?”, “how is historical architecture related to the present?”, “what can architecture reveal of the societies that built it”, and most importantly, “why is architecture history important?”.
Architectural History is the study, interpretation, and conservation of architecture, design, and landscapes. At Metcalf, we are passionate about the buildings that define our communities. “I believe that understanding the history of buildings and community development can help us build better cities that work for everyone!” Rebekah Schields, an architectural historian at Metcalf, said. “I think it is possible to use history and our understanding of the built environment to address racial, social, and class inequalities that are prevalent in our world.” With an understanding of architecture, the built environment, and landscape, we use architectural history to promote the cultures and economies of our communities through the preservation of buildings, structures, sites, and neighborhoods.
What Architectural History Can Do For You
Metcalf’s Architectural History service supports every aspect of a project, from compliance to public outreach. Compliance with Sections 106 and 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act regularly requires our architectural history services to identify and evaluate historic properties in the planning process. We develop strategies to reduce the negative impacts to properties found to have historic significance. Metcalf works to provide creative mitigation strategies, historic context development, creating inventories of historic sites for certified local governments, and is well-versed in archival research for the National Register of Historic Places Evaluation. We help you achieve success while being a good steward of the community’s cultural heritage.
Project Spotlights
Highland Acres Historic District
For several years, we have been involved with the Highland Acres Historic District. The Highland Acres neighborhood was developed in Bismarck, North Dakota by a group of veterans returning from World War II during the 1940s and 1950s. Today, the neighborhood has over 400 homes, a school, and two churches. Metcalf worked with the North Dakota State Historic Preservation Office to survey the neighborhood in 2020 and as of February 2021, the nomination to the National Register of Historic Places is being created. The nomination encompasses the entire neighborhood!
To read more about Metcalf’s involvement with the Highland Acres Historic District, visit our story, Highland Acres Historic Neighborhood, and to read the history of the neighborhood written by one resident, visit Highland Acres Historic District is Becoming a Reality!
DeRoche Block
The DeRoche Block is another building Metcalf is working on to nominate to the National Register as well. Today, the building is known as Hampton Apartments. The nineteenth century apartment building in Grand Forks, North Dakota is unique in that it was built in the style of Mission/ Spanish Revival – a style that is unusual for North Dakota. “[DeRoche Block] served as the residence to many working class and first/ second-generation immigrant families in Grand Forks around the turn of the century,” Rebekah wrote about the building. “Nominations to the National Register are often associated with wealthy or well-known individuals or are very ‘high-style’ architecturally (meaning like architect-designed), so this nomination is exciting because it will highlight the working class individuals of Grand Forks whose labor was essential to the city’s prosperity.”
To read more about DeRoche Block and discover the people who first lived in the historic apartment building, take a look at the blog post Update on the Grand Forks 1920 Project.
In addition to these exciting projects, Metcalf has been working on documenting a historic mill site in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, documenting a historic park in Bozeman, Montana, and documenting/ mitigating a historic water tower in Napoleon, North Dakota.
To learn more about our Architectural History services and how we can support your project, please visit our Architectural History service page or contact us for more information.
