Aquatic Park: Cultural Landscape Report, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, National Park Service

The designed landscape of Aquatic Park was documented in 2001 as part of the National Park Service Cultural Landscapes Inventory (CLI). Revised in 2004, the CLI identifies 21 individual structures and landscape features that contribute to the significance of the historic district. While the CLI documents and evaluates the historical significance and condition of the landscape, it does not provide treatment recommendations for preservation or management of contributing landscape resources. Treatment of the historic designed landscape is the focus of the Cultural Landscape Report (CLR) for Aquatic Park. The CLR for Aquatic Park has two parts. Part 1 incorporates and supplements portions of the Aquatic Park CLI and includes a site history, existing conditions information, and a summary analysis and evaluation of contributing resources. Part 2 of the CLR provides treatment recommendations for preservation, rehabilitation, and potential restoration of key features based on documentation, park management objectives, contemporary park operations, and historical significance. Several existing technical reports and research materials provided information about the history and physical development of the cultural landscape. Key among these was the Historic Resource Study; the National Register of Historic Places nomination for Aquatic Park; and the Aquatic Park Cultural Landscapes Inventory. Research also included reconnaissance and review of materials in several regional archives and collections. Most important among these were the collections at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. The park has a large repository of historic photographs, maps, site plans, and design drawings. Collections at the San Francisco Public Library include a summary report on the Works Progress Administration projects in San Francisco and an extensive collection of historic photographs. Pertinent information about the character of the landscape during and after the period of significance was derived from aerial photographs located in the Pacific Aerial Survey archives (1938-2005), and the Earth Sciences Library Map Room at the University of California, Berkeley. Fieldwork and site visits to document existing conditions occurred in February, March, and April 2007. Additional work was done in 2008 and 2009 as the rehabilitation work on the bleachers began. Site work consisted of verification of information from the 2004 CLI, interviews with park maintenance and resource staff, and condition assessments for landscape features. Upon completion of the CLR Part 1, a treatment workshop with park staff helped identify the management and maintenance issues to address in Part 2 of the report (see Appendix A). All recommendations in the CLR are based on evaluation of landscape resources that contribute to the district and support the direction provided in current park planning and management documents. All treatments documented in the CLR follow guidance provided in The Secretary of the Interior Standards for Preservation, with Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes. The focus for treatment recommendations in the CLR is the historic designed landscape of Aquatic Park, or the Core Area as defined in this report. While the Bocce Ball courts and Victorian Park are within the study boundary and are part of the managed grounds of Aquatic Park, they do not contribute to the historical significance of the park. Therefore in this report, treatment recommendations for these areas are limited and address rehabilitation to promote more sustainable maintenance practices and overall design compatibility with the historic character of Aquatic Park.

Aquatic Park: Cultural Landscape Report, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, National Park Service

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