Recommended Free Tools
Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Chris Pattillo helped turn the Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) from a federal documentation program into a broader volunteer practice. She co-founded the American Society of Landscape Architects’ Northern California HALS chapter, helped refine documentation methods, and launched the first national HALS Challenge in 2010. The annual challenge made it easier for people to write short historical reports about important landscapes, while her own work extended to more than 50 HALS documentation projects, according to ASLA’s 2025 retrospective.
Her legacy is therefore institutional as well as personal: stronger cooperation among the National Park Service (NPS), ASLA, the Library of Congress, and local volunteers; a growing collection of drawings, reports, and photographs; and a repeatable way to bring overlooked landscape histories into the public record.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What is HALS, and where does Chris Pattillo fit?
The Historic American Landscapes Survey is a National Park Service program established in 2000 to document historic landscapes in the United States and its territories. Its records generally consist of measured drawings, historical reports, and large-format black-and-white photographs. The Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division preserves the collection and makes it available to the public, while NPS sets program policies, standards, and procedures in consultation with ASLA.
Pattillo did not found HALS by herself, and the program predates her national challenge. NPS created HALS as a permanent federal program in 2000; NPS, ASLA, and the Library of Congress formalized their cooperation through a 2001 memorandum of understanding. Earlier landscape documentation had also taken place through the Historic American Buildings Survey’s Historic American Landscape and Garden Project. Pattillo’s contribution was to help connect that institutional framework with landscape architects and other volunteers who could document places in their own communities.
Popular on Amazon
- Ergonomically Designed: Work in tight areas with a compact design that gets into tough spots
- Both tools are designed to fit into difficult to reach spaces
- Complete a wide range of applications with a high-performance motor that delivers up to 300 UWO, and an impact driver delivering up to 1,400 in-lbs of torque
- Both the DEWALT impact driver and drill driver feature integrated LED work lights with a convenient 20-second delay, ensuring enhanced visibility in dimly lit or challenging work areas
- One-Handed Loading - Keep one hand free with a 1/4 in. hex chuck that accepts 1 in. bit tips
ASLA’s account of her work describes three connected roles:
- Chapter building: Pattillo, Cathy Garrett, and Betsy Flack founded the ASLA Northern California Chapter’s HALS effort in 2003.
- Program service: She served on the ASLA HALS Subcommittee for about two decades, including a period as national coordinator, and spent more than a decade as the Northern California chapter liaison.
- Public engagement: She initiated the first national HALS Challenge in 2010, giving volunteers a manageable entry point into historical landscape documentation.
She retired from her official HALS advisory roles in 2022, but the systems and records developed during that period continue to shape how the program reaches contributors.
Why was the first HALS Challenge important?
The 2010 challenge addressed a practical problem: many people cared about historic landscapes but did not know how to prepare a formal survey for a national collection. Pattillo’s idea was to offer a defined theme and a short-format report. A first submission could build confidence and skills, potentially leading a volunteer to document additional landscapes later.
The inaugural theme, “Revisiting Cultural Landscapes of Childhood,” focused on places designed for children’s play and enjoyment. Eligible subjects included theme parks, fairy-tale parks, amusement parks, miniature-golf courses, and playgrounds. The contemporaneous 2010 HALS Challenge results list a July 31, 2010 submission deadline and describe the event as a national Theme Park Challenge.
The first three winning entries documented Glen Echo Park in Maryland, Enchanted Forest in Oregon, and Sonoma Traintown Railroad in California. The results document also records new donations to the HALS collection. Pattillo’s own connection to the theme was especially direct: the 2022 ASLA article identifies her documentation of Children’s Fairyland in Oakland, California, as HALS CA-19.
The challenge mattered beyond its first-year winners. It translated an expert process into a public invitation, created a predictable annual rhythm, and encouraged documentation of places that might not otherwise receive attention. In that sense, the challenge was both an educational device and a collection-building strategy.
Also popular on Amazon
- Valued Carpenter Pencil Set: You will get 2 pcs solid carpenter pencils with 26 piece 2.8 mm refills, 1 replaceable sharpener, 1 plastic storage box.The complete carpenter pencils combination allows you to finish your work faster and more easily
- Deep Hole Marker Pencil: The deep-hole construction pencils adopts 45mm elongated tip design, which is more convenient to mark in the small hole or in other tight areas that other carpenter markers cannot reach
- Carpenter Pencils with Sharpener: The sharpener is screwed into the top of the work pencil, which won't get lost either. Built-in pencil sharpener that keep the lead with pointed and smooth to Improves line of sight in fine work
- Stronger Solid Lead: This work pencil is matched with a 2.8 mm thick lead , which is much thicker and stronger during the drawing process of construction work, it will not break or damage easily
- Marks on Various Surfaces: 3 colors solid construction pencil can marks on various surfaces,such as metal, plastic, wood, paper etc. Ideals for woodworkers, contractors, craftsmen, builders, merchants and masons
How did the annual Challenge broaden the subjects HALS documented?
Each year introduced a new theme, widening the range of landscapes that volunteers considered historically significant. The themes below are the sequence reported by ASLA in 2022; they describe past challenges, not current calls for submissions.
| Year | Challenge theme | What the theme brought into focus |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Revisiting Cultural Landscapes of Childhood | Playgrounds, amusement parks, miniature golf, and other child-centered places |
| 2011 | Landscapes of Diversity | Places expressing varied cultural and social histories |
| 2012 | American Latino Landscapes | Landscapes associated with Latino communities and heritage |
| 2013 | Cultural Landscapes of Women | Places connected to women’s histories and achievements |
| 2014 | New Deal Landscapes | Public works and landscapes shaped by New Deal programs |
| 2015 | Modernist Landscapes | Modern landscape design and its surviving examples |
| 2016 | National Register Listed Landscapes | Landscapes already recognized through National Register listing |
| 2017 | City and Town Parks | Municipal parks and everyday civic open spaces |
| 2018 | Memorialization, Commemorating the Great War’s 100th Anniversary | Memorial landscapes related to the First World War centennial |
| 2019 | Historic Streetscapes | Street corridors and their buildings, plantings, and public realm |
| 2020 | Vanishing or Lost Landscapes | Places threatened, altered, or no longer physically present |
| 2021 | Historic Black Landscapes | Landscapes documenting Black history and cultural memory |
| 2022 | Olmsted Landscapes | Landscapes associated with Frederick Law Olmsted and the Olmsted tradition |
The sequence shows why the challenge became more than a contest. Themes could direct attention toward underrepresented communities, ordinary public spaces, threatened sites, and design movements. They also gave local volunteers a reason to investigate a landscape that might be familiar geographically but poorly documented historically.
What does a HALS record contain?
HALS documentation uses three principal record types, each answering a different question about a landscape:
- Measured drawings record spatial form. Plans, sections, elevations, details, diagrams, and related sheets show dimensions, relationships, circulation, structures, vegetation, and other physical features.
- Historical reports explain chronology and significance. They can identify designers, owners, uses, alterations, cultural associations, and the evidence supporting a landscape’s interpretation.
- Large-format photographs preserve visual evidence of existing conditions, materials, views, and character-defining features.
These formats complement rather than replace one another. A report may explain why a park matters, a drawing may clarify how its spaces are organized, and a photograph may show what survives on the ground. The program’s records are intended to be useful for researchers, preservationists, designers, educators, and members of the public.
The exact technical requirements depend on the current HALS guidance and the type of documentation being prepared. The sources for Pattillo’s work establish the formats and examples, but they do not provide a complete standards manual. Anyone preparing a new submission should consult the current NPS and ASLA instructions rather than rely on an older challenge announcement.
What does the Doyle Drive project reveal about Pattillo’s technical contribution?
The Doyle Drive project in San Francisco’s Presidio illustrates the difference between a short introductory report and a full documentation effort. The ASLA Northern California project record identifies Pattillo as project manager and describes measured drawings as one element of broader cultural-resource documentation. Other team members produced the written history and archival photography.
Also popular on Amazon
- 【Great Compatibility】This Katerk 1/4 inch hex shank bit holder is specifically designed for 1/4 inch hex shank drill bits. It's compatible with most 1/4 fast hex handles, hex sockets, various electric screwdrivers, and handheld screwdrivers. The bit holder makes it a valuable addition for any handyman.
- 【Secure and Safe】Built with a secure backup nut design, each drill bit holder securely locks onto your bits, ensuring they stay firmly in place. Additionally, our bit holder incorporates a high-quality steel ball rolling design that holds up to several kilograms of weight, ensuring your various drill bits don't fall off.
- 【Easy One-Handed Operation】The bit holder for impact driver allows you to change bits single-handedly, simplifying your workflow. Its multi-color design further allows for quick identification of the drill bit you need.
- 【Compact and Convenient】Thanks to its compact size, this 1/4 inch bit holder is easy to carry around. The bit holder allows for easy attachment to various tools, making this a convenient addition to your construction accessories. The Katerk bit holder is cast from high-quality alloy material, promising a long product lifespan. Despite its rugged strength, the bit holder remains lightweight, making it portable.
- 【Cool Christmas Gift For Men Stocking Stuffers】 This screwdriver bit holder, driver bit holder, impact bit holder, can be given as a gift to your loved one, especially for anyone involved in construction or electrical work. It's a must-have for stocking stuffers for men and women, tools gifts for dad, tech gadgets for men, gifts for dad, gifts for him, gifts for husband, gifts for boyfriend, cool gadgets for men, and cool gifts for dad.
The measured drawing set included plans, sections, view diagrams, a figure-ground plan, hand-drawn details, a period plan, and typology sheets. Together, those sheets recorded both the physical configuration of the road and the relationships among its landscape elements. The project record calls the work precedent-setting because HALS was still new when the team began in 2008; the team had to develop and refine ways to record existing conditions and present the information legibly.
That experience helps explain Pattillo’s influence. Her work was not limited to encouraging participation. It also involved deciding what information a landscape record should communicate, how different evidence types fit together, and how a document could remain useful to people who had not visited the site. PGAdesign’s history separately records a California Preservation Foundation award for the Doyle Drive documentation in 2016.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
How much did the Challenge contribute to the HALS collection?
ASLA’s 2022 account reports 287 HALS historical reports produced through the challenge since 2010. Some of those reports were accompanied by measured drawings and large-format photographs. The number indicates the challenge’s output as described in that 2022 article, not the total size of the entire HALS collection.
ASLA’s 2025 retrospective gives a different, later measure: 1,063 surveys were in the HALS collection as of May 2025. That figure includes the collection as a whole and should not be compared directly with the 287 challenge reports. One is a total survey count at a specified date; the other is a count of historical reports attributed to the challenge through the period covered by the 2022 article.
The retrospective also reports that the 2014 New Deal Challenge generated 47 short-format historical reports, six drawing sheets, and four sets of large-format photographs. In 2014, ASLA listed 466 HALS sites; by May 2025, the collection count had reached 1,063 surveys. Those figures suggest substantial growth, but they are snapshots tied to different definitions and dates, so they should be read as program history rather than as a single rate of increase.
What does “50-plus HALS projects” mean in Pattillo’s legacy?
ASLA’s 2025 retrospective credits Pattillo with serving as historian, delineator, or project manager on more than 50 HALS documentation projects. The description covers several kinds of responsibility: researching and writing historical context, defining and depicting the landscape’s physical features, and coordinating the work of a documentation team.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Also popular on Amazon
- Toolwiz 17-inch magnetic sweeper maintaining a load capacity of up to 8.8 pounds provides a perfect solution to the problem of clearing small ferrous metal objects, such as nails, tacks, bolts, and metal shavings from workshops or garage floors.
- Convenient and portable：17” is good for home, small workshop, or small yard as it is space-saving and more reachable for narrow areas. Perfect for collecting nails or small parts in the car, under the table, and in other nooks or crannies.
- Upgraded Handle Design: The handle features a sturdy, non-telescopic design to completely prevent slipping during use. By simply adding or removing the extension poles, the height can be adjusted to 3 different lengths: 18.9" (48 cm), 32.5" (82.5 cm), and 42.5" (108 cm) from ground to top. This customizable height helps prevent back bending and muscle strain, making your cleaning tasks effortless
- Flexible wheels: Upgrade wheel screws to avoid being too tight to spin or too loose. More comfortable 3-inch rubber wheels roll smoothly on carpet, grass, concrete, and hardwood floors. Just push and pull this rolling magnet-sweeper to pick up metal nails easily.
- Lightweight materials: The magnetic nail sweeper's compact and lightweight design makes the sweeping can be done anywhere you want, Push or pull it under the furniture, passing through the workshop floor, driveway, mud, grass, and gravel.
This breadth matters because HALS projects are collaborative. A project may combine archival research, field observation, measured drawing, photography, and project management. Pattillo’s record shows sustained participation across those functions rather than a single isolated submission. It also demonstrates how a volunteer-oriented program can benefit from experienced professionals who mentor contributors while producing technically serious records.
How did Pattillo strengthen the volunteer side of a federal program?
HALS operates within a federal framework, but its reach depends on people who can identify significant landscapes and assemble credible documentation. Chapter liaisons provide a local connection to ASLA members, preservation groups, students, historians, and community advocates. Pattillo’s Northern California service helped create that connection and gave volunteers a place to seek guidance.
The Challenge supplied three kinds of support:
- A clear starting point: A theme narrowed the choice of subject and made the assignment less intimidating.
- A defined product: The short-format historical report gave contributors a concrete outcome rather than an open-ended research project.
- A public destination: Accepted work could become part of the Library of Congress collection, giving local research a national audience and a durable preservation context.
That model also changed perceptions of what counts as a historic landscape. Annual themes encouraged attention to parks, streetscapes, recreational sites, Black landscapes, Latino landscapes, women’s histories, and places at risk of disappearing—not only to famous designed gardens or monumental civic spaces.
What should readers remember about the partnership among NPS, ASLA, and the Library of Congress?
The partnership explains why it is inaccurate to describe Pattillo as the founder of HALS. NPS established the program; the Library of Congress preserves and provides access to the records; and ASLA supplies professional guidance and supports a volunteer liaison network through its chapters. Pattillo worked inside that shared structure, helping it function at the local and national levels.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
This division of roles also gives HALS its durability. Federal stewardship provides continuity and standards, the Library of Congress provides a public archival home, and ASLA’s professional network helps people undertake the work. The Challenge succeeded because it connected those institutions to contributors who knew local landscapes and could add evidence that a centralized program could not gather on its own.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is the lasting significance of the HALS Challenge?
The lasting significance is not only the number of reports. The challenge created a repeatable method for bringing new subjects and new contributors into historic landscape documentation. It made the first step approachable without reducing the work to a casual description: participants still had to investigate history, identify significance, and prepare records suitable for a national collection.
Also popular on Amazon
- APPLY TO MOST DRILLS : 6 pieces screw extractors work with any drill and all the screw size or bolt (3-12mm), These extractor tools are used to reverse the damaged screw counterclockwise until it is released
- The DIY Tools for Men-Men won't know they need screw extractor set until they have one! This screw extractor set is GIFTS WRAP AVAILABLE, can be gifted to your loved ones as it reflects a fresh trend with fun and practical. Amazing and Unique tool gifts for men women. The must have stocking stuffers for men, gifts for dad, husband, father, him, guy teens, adult, Boyfriend, son on Birthdays, Christmas, Fathers Day or anniversary. Perfect Holiday Gifts Guide
- HIGH QUALITY - This damaged screw remover tool kit is made from High-Speed Steel H.S.S 4341# , which have high hardness of 63hrc, it's durable and easily to remove any damaged screws.
- EASY TO USE: Just two simple steps to get the job done - drill a hole with a cutting size using the right size screw extractor and easily remove the screw or bolt using the removal tool Hardness 63-65HRC: Titanium hardened steel material, more durable than most screw extractors on the market, better hardness and durability than others, buy with confidence and complete peace of mind
- Cool Gadgets for Men Dad Christmas Birthday Gifts for Men and Women - Men won't know they need screw extractor sets until they have one! Every screw has the potential to rust and break, which can create a situation where it cannot be removed. Owning it, there will be no anxiety about rusty screws. This screw extractor set is GIFTS WRAP AVAILABLE, can be gifted to your loved ones as it reflects a fresh trend with fun and practical. Amazing and unique tool gifts for men women. A must have stocking stuffer for men on birthdays, Christmas, Father's Day or anniversaries, a gifts for dads, husbands, fathers, him, adults, boyfriends, sons. The best and most practical and surprising Christmas gifts
Pattillo’s legacy therefore has two dimensions. The first is documentary: more than 50 projects associated with her professional service, including technically demanding work such as Doyle Drive. The second is organizational: a chapter network, a national challenge, and a culture of volunteer participation that widened the range of landscapes represented in HALS.
For construction, preservation, and design professionals, the lesson is practical. A landscape’s history is easier to protect when its physical form, chronology, and visual character are recorded together. For communities, the lesson is equally important: a local park, streetscape, amusement ground, or cultural site can become part of the national record when someone takes responsibility for documenting it carefully.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchHow can someone use Pattillo’s example when documenting a landscape?
Start by defining the landscape and the question the record should answer. Then assemble evidence in complementary forms rather than treating a narrative report as a substitute for drawings or photographs.
- Identify the place and its boundaries. Record the landscape’s name, location, current use, ownership or management context when known, and the period or periods that matter.
- Build a source file. Gather maps, plans, historic photographs, newspaper accounts, property records, oral histories, and other reliable evidence. Note dates and repositories so another researcher can follow the trail.
- Describe what survives. Walk the site where access permits, record circulation, topography, vegetation, structures, materials, views, and changes, and distinguish observed conditions from historical interpretation.
- Choose the appropriate record types. A historical report may establish chronology and significance; measured drawings can explain spatial relationships; large-format photographs can preserve visual evidence.
- Check current guidance. HALS standards and submission procedures can change. Use the latest NPS or ASLA instructions for required formats, labeling, permissions, and delivery.
- Credit the team. Identify historians, delineators, photographers, project managers, community contributors, and archival sources. HALS documentation is often collaborative, as the Doyle Drive example demonstrates.
An architect’s scale ruler may be a useful general tool for preparing measured drawings, but the cited sources do not identify it as a Pattillo recommendation or a HALS requirement. The essential requirement is accurate, legible documentation that can be understood and reused by people beyond the original project team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chris Pattillo the founder of HALS?
No. The National Park Service established HALS in 2000, and NPS, ASLA, and the Library of Congress formalized their cooperation in 2001. Pattillo helped build the ASLA chapter network and launched the national Challenge, which expanded participation in the existing program.
Where are HALS records available to the public?
The Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division preserves HALS records and provides public access. Individual records can include reports, drawings, and photographs, so researchers should check the available format for the specific landscape they are studying.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Are the HALS Challenge themes still open for entries?
The themes listed for 2010 through 2022 are historical themes reported by ASLA, not a current submission calendar. Anyone planning a new project should verify whether a challenge or other submission opportunity is active and consult current program guidance.
What is the difference between a HALS survey and a HALS historical report?
A survey is a collection-level record of a documented landscape, while a historical report is one documentation product within the program. The 2025 collection total of 1,063 surveys and the 2022 figure of 287 challenge-related historical reports therefore describe different things.
