REQUIRED
READINGS. Required readings will be assigned from the following
books, which should be purchased if possible. Town Planning in
Frontier America is now out of print, and a copy is on reserve at
Bailey Howe Library and in Wheeler House. In addition, you may be
able to find used copies via the internet.
1. William Cronin, Changes in the Land. Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England.
2. Chester Liebs, Main Street to Miracle Mile. American Roadside Architecture.
3. John Reps, Town Planning in Frontier America. (Out of Print-BH Reserve)
4. Witold Rybczynski, Last Harvest. How a Cornfield Became New Daleville.
5. John Stilgoe, Common Landscape of America, 1580 to 1845.
6. John Stilgoe, Outside Lies Magic. Regaining History and Awareness in Everyday Places.
7. Sam Bass Warner, Streetcar Suburbs. The Process of Growth in Boston (1870-1900).
Reading assignments have also been selected from the following, which
have been placed on reserve at Bailey Howe Library. The
Miller and Melvin book is also on electronic reserve.
1.
Zane Miller and Patricia M. Melvin, The Urbanization of Modern America.
A Brief History. Note: this book is out of print but various
editions may be available from the internet. Page numbers may not
conform to the assigned numbers, but the general content should be
apparent.
2. John Stilgoe, Metropolitan Corridor. Railroads and the American Scene.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS. Supplemental readings have been identified
for each class and a separate bibliography will be distributed.
These readings are not required but are offered as optional sources
that provide greater depth regarding their respective topics or that
were used extensively in the preparation of class lectures. They
are also beginning points for research regarding your paper topics.
CLASS SCHEDULE
Tuesday, January 17th: Introduction: History on the Land
Required:
1. Stilgoe, Outside Lies Magic, 1-58.
2. Stilgoe, Common Landscape of America, 3-43
Thursday, January 19th: Patterns of Settlement: English Colonial Town Plans.
Required:
1. Reps, Town Planning in Frontier America, 73-180.
2. Stilgoe, Outside Lies Magic, 59-69.
Supplemental:
1. Paul Zucker, Town and Square from the Agora to the VillageGreen.
2. Anthony N. Garvan, Architecture and Town Planning in Colonial Connecticut.
Tuesday, January 24th: Transport: Colonial Roads to Good Roads, and the Trails and Turnpikes Between.
Required:
1. Stilgoe, Common Landscape of America, 107-115,129-134.
2. Reps, Town Planning in Frontier America, 181-210.
Supplemental:
1.
Frederick Wood, The Turnpikes of New England and Evolution of the
Same Through New England, Virginia, and Maryland.
2. Karl Raitz, ed., The National Road.
Thursday, January 26th: Transport: Canals
Required:
1. Stilgoe, Common Landscape of America, 115-134.
2. Reps, Town Planning in Frontier America, 211-237.
Supplemental:
1. Patricia Anderson, The Course of Empire. The Erie Canal and the New York Landscape, 1825-1875.
2. Robert J. Kapsch. Canals
Tuesday, January 31st: Transport: Railroads
OUTLINE DUE
Required:
1. Stilgoe, Metropolitan Corridor, 21-132.
2. Reps, Town Planning in Frontier America, 238-263.
Supplemental:
1.
Carl Condit, The Port of New York. A History of the Rail and
Terminal System from the Beginning to Pennsylvania Station.
Thursday, February 2nd: Agriculture: Landscapes and Barns
Required:
1. Stilgoe, Common Landscape of America, 135-170.
2. Cronin, Changes in the Land, 1-15.
Supplemental:
1. Thomas Hubka, Big House, Little House, Back House, Barn. The Connected Farm Buildings of New England.
2. Howard S. Russell, A Long Deep Furrow: Three Centuries of Farming in New England.
Tuesday, February 7th: Urban and Community Agriculture: Commercial Greenhouses
Required:
1. Stilgoe, Common Landscape of America, 170-208.
2. Cronin, Changes in the Land, 127-156.
Supplemental:
1. John Auwaerter, "Factories of Glass: Development of the Modern Commercial Greenhouse, 1880-1930."
2. John Hix, The Glass House.
Thursday,
February 9th: Commercial and Industrial Buildings: Turning Points
in Evolution of Size, Structure and Materials: Brick Bearing
Walls, Trusses and Arches, I-Beams, Plate Glass, Terra Cotta, and Reinforced Concrete
Required:
1. Stilgoe, Common Landscape of America, 265-324
Supplemental:
1. Cecil Elliott, Technics and Architecture. The Development of Materials and Systems for Buildings.
2. H. Ward Jandl, ed., The Technology of Historic American Buildings
3. Carl Condit, American Building Art. The Nineteenth Century (Vol. 1) and The Twentieth Century (Vol. 2).
Tuesday, February 14th: Power: Wind
Required:
1. Stilgoe, Common Landscape of America, 88-99
2. Miller & Melvin, Urbanization of Modern America, 3-43
Supplemental:
1. Lindsay Baker, A Field Guide to American Windmills.
Thursday, February 16th: Power: Direct Drive Water
Required:
1. Miller & Melvin, Urbanization of Modern America, 47-104
Supplemental:
1.
Louis Hunter, Water Power - Steam Power. A History
of Industrial Power in the United States, 1780-1930. 2 vols.
2. Theodore Steinberg, Nature Incorporated. Industrialization and the Waters of New England
Tuesday, February 21st: Power: Steam.
Required
1. Miller & Melvin, Urbanization of Modern America, 105-124
2. Stilgoe, Common Landscape of America, 339-346.
Supplemental
1. Louis Hunter, Water Power - Steam Power. A History of Industrial Power in the United States, 1780-1930. 2 vols.
Thursday, February 23rd: Power: Coal-Fired, Steam-Generated Electricity and Hydro-Electricity
Required:
1. Miller & Melvin, Urbanization of Modern America, 125-174
Tuesday, February 28th: Factory
PART ONE DUE
Required:
1. Stilgoe, Common Landscape of America, 324-337
Supplemental:
1. Grant Hildebrand, Designing for Industry. The Architecture of Albert Kahn
Thursday, March 1st: MID-TERM EXAMINATION
Tuesday, March 6th: Spring Recess – No Class
Thursday, March 8th: Spring Recess – No Class
Tuesday, March 13th: Industry: Iron
Required:
1. Stilgoe, Common Landscape of America, 99-107
Thursday, March 15th: Urbanity: Reading the City
Required:
1. Miller & Melvin, Urbanization of Modern America, 175-252
2. Warner, Streetcar Suburbs, 1-34
Supplemental:
1. David Ward, Cities and Immigrants: A Geography of Change in 19th Century America.
2. Roger Trancik, Finding Lost Space. Theories of Urban Design.
Tuesday, March 20th: Transit – Streetcars and Interurbans
Required:
1. Warner, Streetcar Suburbs, 35-116.
Thursday, March 22nd: Transit: Rapid
Required:
1. Warner, Streetcar Suburbs, 117-166.
Supplemental:
1. Robert C. Reed, The New York Elevated
2. Michael W. Brooks, Subway City. Riding the Trains, Reading New York
Tuesday, March 27th: Community: By Plan
Required:
1. Reps, Town Planning in Frontier America, 264-295.
2. Stilgoe, Common Landscape of America, 209-231.
3. Stilgoe, Outside Lies Magic, 131-155.
4. Rybczynski, Last Harvest, 1-97.
Supplemental:
1. Clarence Stein, Toward New Towns for America
Thursday, March 29th: Community: By Park. Part 1: Public Squares,
Garden Cemeteries, Pleasure Grounds, and Park Ways.
Required:
1. Cronin, Changes in the Land, 19-81.
2. Rybczynski, Last Harvest, 101-183
Supplemental:
1. Galen Cranz, The Politics of Park Design. A History of Urban Parks in America.
2. Witold Rbyczynski, A Clearing in the Distance. Frederick Law Olmsted and America in the 19th Century
Tuesday,
April 3rd: Community: By Park. Part 2: Progressivism and
Municipal Reform Parks - City Beautiful Parks, Neighborhood Parks,
Playgrounds, and School Parks; Progressivism and Cnservation Era
Parks - Forest Parks and Prairie Parks; Recreation Facilities; Pocket
Parks; Amusement Parks,
Required:
1. Stilgoe, Outside Lies Magic, 103-129.
2. Rybczynski, Last Harvest, 187-201.
Supplemental
1. Leonard K. Eaton, Landscape Artist in America. The Life and Work of Jens Jensen.
Thursday, April 5th: Community: By Forest
Required:
1. Cronin, Changes in the Land, 82-126.
Supplemental:
2. Robert McCullough, Landscape of Community. A History of Communal Forests in New England
Tuesday, April 10th: Community: By Footpath
Required:
1. Cronin, Changes in the Land, 159-170.
Supplemental:
1. Laura and Guy Waterman, Forest and Crag
Thursday, April 12th: Awheel: Parks, Parkways and Paths for Bicycles
Required:
1. Stilgoe, Common Landscape of America, 231-264.
Supplemental:
1. Charles Little, Greenways for America
Tuesday, April 17th: Roads for the Automobile
PART TWO DUE
Required:
1. Liebs, Main Street to Miracle Mile, 1-151.
2. Stilgoe, Outside Lies Magic, 89-101 & 157-178
Supplemental:
1. Bruce E. Seely, Building the American Highway System. Engineers as Policy Makers.
2. James J. Fink, The Car Culture.
Thursday, April 19th: Roadside: Fast Food
Required:
1. Liebs, Main Street to Miracle Mile, 153-227.
Supplemental:
1. Richard Horowitz, The Strip: An American Place
2. John Jakle and Keith Sculle. Fast Food. Road Restaurants in the Automobile Age.
Tuesday, April 23rd: Roadside: Motel
Required:
1. Stilgoe, Outside Lies Magic, 71-88, 179-187.
Supplemental:
1. Warren Belasco, Americans on the Road. From Autocamp to Motel.
2. John Jakle and Keith Sculle. The Motel in America
Thursday, April 26th: Escape
Required: None
Tuesday, May 1st: Field Study / Review
Thursday, May 8th: FINAL EXAMINATION; 4:30 to 7:30
P.M.; 402 Williams
COURSE INFORMATION
ASSIGNMENTS.
Students will be asked to prepare a written paper divided into two
parts, each part due separately. The paper will be based on a
selected topic that involves any feature of the cultural landscape,
such as a building, structure, site, transportation corridor, or
designed landscape. The paper will combine the use of periodical
literature and trade journals with field study. A description of
the assignment will be provided. In final form, the two segments
should be typed, and each should be approximately one thousand (1000)
words long. The due dates for a one-page outline of the topic and
periodical literature selected, time-spans included, and for the first
and second segments are identified in the course schedule.
Students are welcome to submit drafts of their papers in advance of the
deadlines.
ATTENDANCE. Class attendance is required, and the instructor must be notified regarding any absences (See grading below)
BIBLIOGRAPHY.
A bibliography of readings for further study on each of the lecture
topics will also be posted on the instructor's web page. This
list should be considered as a beginning point for research concerning
the topics identified and should be consulted during selection and
preparation of the written assignment.
EXAMINATIONS &
GRADING. Preliminary and final examinations will be based on
assigned readings, class presentations, and discussion. The dates
of these examinations are noted on the schedule. The course grade
will be determined as follows: preliminary, 30%, final exam 30%, paper,
30%, attendance and class participation, 10%.
FIELD TRIP / EXTRA
SESSIONS. A field trip may be scheduled depending on interest and
available time. Extra presentations may be offered in the evening
depending upon student interest. Available topics include Spanish
and French patterns of town planning; urban and community agriculture;
and the fossil fuel industry. Others can be developed as
desired. Students can select convenient dates, with at least one
week prior notice.
IMPORTANT PLACES,
DATES, AND PERSONS. Each student will receive a list of important
places, dates, persons, etc., mentioned in the lectures. These
are arranged by lecture topic and provide a skeleton outline of the
course. Students should review these lists before class.
OFFICE HOURS. Office hours will be announced, but other arrangements are possible as required
THEMATIC
OVERVIEW. The course seeks to provide students with a basic
understanding of the historical document that is our cultural
environment, whether built or natural. The subject is vastly
complex, and the course is not intended to provide a comprehensive
study of any one aspect of the landscape. In truth, any of the
topics (and many of the sub-topics) appearing on the syllabus could be
developed into an entire course. Nevertheless, the syllabus does
provide a skeleton that suggests the essential reasons why our
landscape appears as it does. With fundamental understanding,
students will be able to read this historic document, to absorb some of
the information that it holds, and to explore other segments more
deeply without losing sight of the basic structure. Several
themes will be traced throughout.
1. The discipline of
historic preservation seeks to identify and preserve those parts of our
physical heritage that hold valuable information about our
culture. Evaluating historic significance -- the process of
selecting those monuments worthy of preservation -- is fundamental, and
the course will probe the means by which we make this assessment.
In short, what are the economic, social, technological, political,
aesthetic, and intellectual contributions that any given part of our
physical heritage makes?
2. At the same time, we should
all be able to recognize and understand the picture puzzle that is our
cultural landscape without resorting to structured analysis of historic
significance. Hopefully this will lead to a stronger
understanding of American culture and a deeper appreciation of all that
surrounds us.
3. Historic preservation's emphasis on the
built environment has sometimes resulted in neglect of the natural
environment and its culturally assisted evolution. The
unfortunate result is that alliances with other disciplines that pursue
goals common to those of historic preservation have failed to
materialize. The course will make strong efforts to connect the
two.
4. The study of methods for reading the landscape is
as important as learning about the history that exists if only we know
where to look. The course will seek to develop both goals.
5.
The study of landscape history is one of examining overlapping layers
on the face of the land. Those layers can be confined to a small
area and be readily visible, for example a building with clearly
defined alterations added over the years. Alternatively, the
layers can be complex and difficult to separate, as in urban areas
where human existence has forced sweeping change over the centuries.
