In 2020, Metcalf worked with the City of Bismarck to document the Highland Acres neighborhood, a mid-century development located just south of Bismarck State College. With support from the North Dakota State Historic Preservation Office, Metcalf staff intensively surveyed 352 properties, the biggest survey ever conducted in the state.
Creating homes for World War II vets
The neighborhood is unique not only for its mid-century architecture and design, but also for its origin within a local veteran’s cooperative. As many young servicemembers returned from World War II, Bismarck veterans and their families noted that affordable, comfortable housing was in short supply. When the city was unable to remedy the housing shortage, members of three veteran’s organizations formed a cooperative to address the problem. Members of the Bismarck Veterans Homeowners Association each purchased $100 in stock and with those funds, the association purchased land and began construction of homes in what later became known as Highland Acres. After completing the survey and researching each property, Metcalf staff found that a significant majority of properties within the neighborhood would contribute to a district if nominated to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2021, Metcalf will begin the process of that nomination.
