Why HABS Photography Matters

HABS photography is a vital part of preserving our nation’s history. By documenting historic buildings and structures, HABS photographers help to ensure that these important pieces of our heritage are not forgotten.

HABS stands for Historic American Buildings Survey. It is a program of the Library of Congress that was established in 1933. The goal of HABS is to document the architectural and engineering features of historic buildings and structures. HABS photographers use large-format cameras to create high-quality images that capture the details of these buildings.

HABS photography has been used to document a wide variety of historic buildings, including homes, churches, schools, bridges, and factories. These images are an invaluable resource for historians, architects, and anyone who is interested in learning more about our nation’s past.

In addition to documenting historic buildings, HABS photography can also be used to document the changes that occur over time. By comparing images of the same building taken at different points in history, we can see how the building has evolved. This information can be used to understand the history of the building and the surrounding community.

HABS photography is a valuable tool for preserving our nation’s history. By documenting historic buildings and structures, HABS photographers help to ensure that these important pieces of our heritage are not forgotten.

Here are some of the benefits of HABS photography:

• It helps to preserve our nation’s history. By documenting historic buildings and structures, HABS photographers help to ensure that these important pieces of our heritage are not forgotten.
• It provides a valuable resource for historians, architects, and anyone who is interested in learning more about our nation’s past. HABS images can be used to study the architectural and engineering features of historic buildings, as well as the changes that have occurred over time.
• It can be used to document the changes that occur over time. By comparing images of the same building taken at different points in history, we can see how the building has evolved. This information can be used to understand the history of the building and the surrounding community.

If you are interested in learning more about HABS photography, you can visit the Library of Congress’s website. There, you will find a wealth of information about the program, including a gallery of images.

This is where I will be sharing why Preservation and Photography Matters when Documenting Historic Resources

As a nation we need to preserve the historic resources of the United States.  I feel it is an honor to work with the Library of Congress and the many state and national agencies.  Many state agencies from the Department of Transportation to the many local boards appreciate how preserving history brings many windfalls to the public.   The many national agencies from the Corps of Engineers to National Board of Transportation work with the Heritage Documentation Program to document some of our great nation’s greatest historic resources.

A love letter to the Heritage Documentation Program and the Library of Congress

As a nation we need to preserve the historic resources of the United States.  I feel it is an honor to work with the Library of Congress and the many state and national agencies.  Many state agencies from the Department of Transportation to the many local boards appreciate how preserving history brings many windfalls to the public.   The many national agencies from the Corps of Engineers to National Board of Transportation work with the Heritage Documentation Program to document some of our great nation’s greatest historic resources. 

The Heritage Documentation Program (HDP) which is part of the Nation Park Service (NPS), administers HABS (Historic American Buildings Survey), the Federal Government’s oldests historic preservation program and companion programs Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), and the Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS).  The documentation produced through the programs is one of the United States (US) largest archives of historic resources such as architecture, architectural resources, landscapes, and engineering documentation. 

Historical American Building Survey | Historical American Engineering Recording | Historical American Landscape Survey

From its beginnings as a Depression-era work program in 1933, the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), and its later-established companion programs, the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) and the Historic American Landscape Survey (HALS), have grown into the largest archival collection of historic architectural, engineering, and landscape documentation in the country.

HABS/HAER/HALS documentation includes drawings, photography, and written narratives and is used to record significant resources, as well as serving as a mitigation strategy to document properties prior to alteration or demolition. Documentation is typically prepared with the intent of submitting the final work to the Library of Congress collection and the National Park Service (NPS), as well as state and local archives. These studies can then provide researchers with comprehensive documentation of buildings, sites, structures, and objects significant in American history and the growth and development of the built environment. Some state and local agencies use HABS standards for recording properties at the local level.

HABS/HAER/HALS documentation typically includes three elements: