The National Park Service and Preservation Maryland are proud to present the final presentations of the 2020 Harrison Goodall Fellows. The Harrison Goodall Fellowship supports innovation and professional growth in the field of historic preservation by providing a short-term opportunity for individuals to pursue a unique self-directed project under the guidance of a mentor. Each fellow received up to a $5,000 grant and was paired with a professional project mentor. The work that arose from the two inaugural fellows fulfilled the programs mission to make innovative and meaningful contributions to the field of historic preservation.

Demolition by Neglect in Arizona by chistopher cody

In addition to serving as the Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer in Phoenix, AZ, Christopher Cody seeks to tackle the most serious preservation challenge in Arizona: demolition-by-neglect. Historic structures are threatened by absent owners who do not provide the necessary maintenance to keep the property stable, thus requiring demolition. Many of these structures are within historic downtown areas. Cody’s goal was to research and develop model demolition-by-neglect ordinances for use across the state of Arizona, to produce supporting legal research for said ordinances, to identify legislative and legal barriers to their enactment, and develop a legislative advocacy plan if changes in state law are required.

Cody combined his own experience as an attorney with that of his mentor, Will Cook, an attorney with Cultural Heritage Partners, LLP and a nationally recognized expert in historic preservation law concerning demolition-by-neglect ordinances, to produce a toolkit that includes model ordinances, legal research, and a legislative action plan. This project will greatly benefit local, state, and national preservation efforts for endangered historic structures.

Read The final report

Application of Non-Destructive Technology to Document Seismic Damage on Historic Adobe by sara stratte

Sara Stratte completed her Masters of Science in Historic Preservation in 2018 and currently works as the Exhibit Specialist for Restoration at Channel Islands National Park where a 2018 earthquake caused damage to an adobe structure built in 1889. The extent of the damage to this building and other structures like it cannot be fully explored without invasive or destructive techniques. Stratte used the Smuggler’s Ranch, located on Santa Cruz Island, as a case study for non-destructive techniques to diagnose and document unseen deterioration conditions in adobe masonry.

Stratte chose Michael Spencer as her mentor. Spencer is chair of the Department of Historic Preservation at the University of Mary Washington and specializes in the application on non-destructive technologies, such as infrared thermography diagnostics, to historic preservation projects. Stratte developed protocols for using infrared thermography to adoRead the final report

About The Fellowship

The Harrison Goodall Preservation Fellowship gives graduate students and enterprising professionals the opportunity to undertake a focused pursuit that makes a meaningful contribution to the field of historic preservation and support the stewardship of historic resources not only in the National Park Service but nationwide and at any level (e.g., other federal agencies, state and county parks, nonprofit history museums, etc.).

Often during the rigors of a preservation graduate program or while in professional employment, there aren’t opportunities to explore issues that can create a difference in the preservation field. The format of the fellowship program is flexible to encourage creativity and allow fellows to continue to study, work, or engage in other activities.

Inspired by a gift from Harrison Goodall and made possible by Preservation Maryland, this NPS partnership promotes innovation in the field of historic preservation by allowing outstanding preservationists to develop and conduct independent projects. Fellows not only make a contribution to the field of preservation but also grow professionally as a result of their interaction with a preservation mentor.

In the words of Harrison Goodall, “Preservation changed my life; I’d like to see it do the same for others.”

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