What's New - Fall 2007
National Register Nomination and Assessment of National Forest Nurseries
HDC architects and historians investigated the Wellston and Chittenden Nurseries in the Huron-Manistee National Forest in Michigan in October 2007. The goal of the project is to prepare a National Register nomination of the properties, both constructed primarily in the 1930s. The complexes consist of administrative buildings, nursery operations buildings, and seed beds along with intact housing and dormitory facilities. In addition to the historic work, HDC architects and facilities planners assessed the existing condition of the historic buildings and provided recommendations and estimates to restore them to working order.
Master Plan for the Fairborn Performing Arts Center
HDC architects and planners are preparing a master plan to transform a 1940s era movie theatre into a regional center for the performing arts. The historic building is in the Art Deco style and includes an aviation-themed mural in the round lobby. The master plan calls for an addition to the side and rear of the building to contain back-of-house amenities for performers as well as flexible meeting space for the community. In conjunction with the planning work, HDC is also working to stabilize the exterior of the building from immediate moisture penetration issues.
Phase I and Phase II investigations on the Eastern Shore of Maryland
HDC archaeologists traveled to Maryland in the spring of 2007 to partner with URS on a Maryland State Highway Administration project on the Eastern Shore. The project consisted of Phase I survey and Phase II assessment testing in association with improvements to MD 404 near Hillsboro. The Phase I survey resulted in the identification of two previously unrecorded archaeological sites (18CA229 and 18CA230) within the survey boundaries. The historic component of 18CA229 dates ca. 1750-1830; dealing with such an early historical site was a treat for the Ohio archaeologists. The Phase II testing of 18CA87 identified deposits with a transitional Early to Middle Woodland period temporal affiliation based on the recovery of Coulbourn and Mockley ceramic types. Coulbourn ceramics date to ca. 400 B.C. and are associated with the Adena complex on the Eastern Shore. Mockley wares are very common in the Chesapeake area and typically date to the later portion of the Middle Woodland period, between A.D. 200 and A.D. 900.
Donut the Beagle Plays with a Stick and Takes a Nap
Donut the Beagle is well known for playing hard and (maybe) settling down for a nap. Late this summer, Donut found a really good stick proceeded to race around the backyard, prancing and tossing the stick like a drum major. After hours of this in the hot sun, she finally crashed and took a well-needed rest on the patio.
