Cultural Landscape Report for Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Volume II: Treatment

Layton, Timothy; Brown, Margie

The Cultural Landscape Report (CLR) is the primary document used by the National Park Service to guide the treatment and management of a cultural landscape. This second volume provides treatment guidance within the context of the site’s history and significance, extant features and historic character, and current planning objectives and management goals. For Sagamore Hill, treatment seeks to preserve and enhance its historic character within the context of other park management goals such as public access, natural resource conservation, recreation, and interpretation. Treatment is informed by the site history, existing conditions, and analysis of the cultural landscape’s significance presented in the Cultural Landscape Report for Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Volume 1: Site History, Existing Conditions, and Analysis completed in 1995 (reprinted 2003). Based on the existing conditions and completed park planning documents at the time, managing the landscape for historic character is detailed in Cultural Landscape Report for Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Volume 2: Treatment Recommendations and Implementation Plan, completed in 1998. The primary planning document informing the 1998 report was a 1963 Master Plan developed when Sagamore Hill was transferred to the National Park Service. In 2008, the National Park Service redefined its management approach for Sagamore Hill through a General Management Plan. The treatment recommendations herein are updated to align with the preferred planning alternative articulated in the General Management Plan. The updated treatment recommendations and plans also incorporate changes to the existing conditions since 1998 and new research from natural and cultural resource professionals. Expanding upon the recommendations in the 1998 document, this updated treatment plan is organized into two chapters. The first chapter establishes a framework for treatment that includes highlighting general treatment issues, outlining a primary treatment approach and period, and articulating a treatment philosophy for intended landscape character. The second chapter provides narrative tasks necessary to retain, enhance, and reestablish the historic character of the landscape. The report concludes with appendices containing supplemental information and scope of work documentation for high priority tasks. Treatment tasks in the report are organized according to the following landscape characteristics: buildings and structures, vegetation, circulation, views and vistas, and small-scale features. For each task, a feature’s history, existing condition, and details on treatment implementation are provided. For over sixty years, Sagamore Hill served as a working farm managed and maintained by Theodore and Edith Carow Roosevelt. Today the property retains its overall integrity with respect to location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. With guidance from the recently completed General Management Plan, the park is focusing on retaining the landscape’s historic character and enhancing its ability to interpret the Roosevelt tenure at Sagamore Hill. To achieve this objective, the primary treatment for Sagamore Hill is rehabilitation with a treatment date of 1948 to serve as a benchmark for managing the cultural landscape.

Cultural Landscape Report for Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Volume II: Treatment

Series