By Rob Morgan
The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training is serving as the headquarters for the Historic American Building Survey (HABS) team during their 12-week study of the Magnolia Plantation.
HABS’s mission is to create an archive of American architecture and engineering to offer a better understanding of America’s diverse ethnic and cultural heritage. It is the nation’s oldest federal preservation program.
A program originally created by the National Park Service (NPS) in 1933 as a make-work program during the Great Depression for unemployed architects, draftsmen and photographers, HABS has played an important role in the development of the historic preservation field, in the country and in the state of Louisiana.
Presently, college students undertake much of the documentation through the HABS summer program. Beginning in the 1950’s students pursuing degrees in architecture, engineering, history and related fields have been the backbone of the recording activities.
Several structures were documented by the HABS team last year in the Cane River National Heritage Area including the Texas and Pacific Railway Depot, the Roubieu-Jones House, the Coin Coin-Prudhomme House, the Piece-Sur-Piece Building at Ducorneau Plantation and outbuildings at Oakland Plantation, a unit of the Cane River Creole National Historical Park.
“I see the HABS program as an opportunity to get hands-on experience in historical research,” Tony Bremholm, HABS’ Architectural Historian, said. “My interest is in the cultural aspects of the history of technology, in this case of vernacular architecture in the agricultural landscape.”
Members of this year’s HABS team are Bremholm of Norman, Oklahoma, Felicia Atwell of Mobile, Alabama, Brian Carnahan of Joplin, Missourri, Oxana Tulejova of Kosice, Slovakia and Andy Sanders of Simsboro, Louisiana.
During their work on the plantation, the HABS team will produce drawings taken from their measurements of the structure, create an overall site plan demonstrating how Magnolia Plantation worked and provide historical research on the plantation.
Atwell, the supervising architect on the HABS team, said the team’s work would provide information for other professionals in the preservation field while also increasing the public’s awareness of the property.
HABS has a long past with investigating the cultural architecture of Louisiana. Beginning with the rebuilding of Fort St. Jean de Baptiste here in Natchitoches and projects in the Cane River Area: the Africa and Yucca Houses on Melrose Plantation and the Lemee Houses in Natchitoches.
“Architecture of Louisiana, especially along the Cane River, is for me very interesting as it differs a lot from what I have experienced at my home country,” said Tulejova. “I am glad to be here, join the HABS team, share my knowledge and in the same time learn.”
Rob Morgan was a summer intern for the public outreach program at NCPTT.