(This report remains in draft form. It has not been released by the NPS in final form. It must undergo further internal review. It has been made available to the Dumbarton Oaks Park Conservancy as part of NPS's process of communicating with interested constituencies and seeking informed comment.)

(N.B.The report is in the process of being posted to this Internet site. The process is not yet complete. In the meantime, its possible to review the table of contents to anticipate the details of the report to come. The page numbers have no significance.)

September 1997 (revised December 1997 & August 1998)

Table of Contents, Part 1: Site History, Existing Conditions, and Analysis and Evaluation

 I. Introduction . . . . . . I-1

Objectives . . . . . . I-2

Study Boundaries . . . . . . I-2

General Description . . . . . . I-2

Methodology . . . . . . I-3

Terminology . . . . . . I-4

Endnotes . . . . . . I-7

II. Site History . . . . . . II- 1

Introduction . . . . . . II- 2

Prehistory to 1632 . . . . . . II- 2

1632-1921: Early Development of the Property . . . . . . II- 2

1921-1940: First Period of Design Development . . . . . . II-12

The Upper Gardens: The Formal Gardens and the Informal Gardens . . . . . II-13

The Naturalistic Garden . . . . . . II-20

1940-1997: Dumbarton Oaks Park . . . . . . II-24

Transfer of the Property to Harvard University and

the National Park Service . . . . . . II-24

1940-1951: Second Period of Design Development

Development of Dumbarton Oaks Gardens . . . . . . II-24

Development of Dumbarton Oaks Park . . . . . . II-25

Dumbarton Oaks Park Advisory Committee . . . . . . II-27

General Maintenance Issues . . . . . . II-29

Funding . . . . . . II-31

Deterioration of the Stream Corridor . . . . . . II-31

1951-1997: The Garden as a Public Park . . . . . . II-33

Recent Efforts at Stabilization . . . . . . II-35

Endnotes . . . . . . II-37

III. Existing Conditions . . . . . .III- 1

Regional Context . . . . . .III- 2

Context and Cultural Landscape Environs . . . . . .III- 2

Dumbarton Oaks Gardens . . . . . .III- 2

Rock Creek Park - Montrose Park . . . . . .III- 2

Existing Conditions . . . . . .III- 2

Endnotes . . . . . .III- 6

IV. Analysis and Evaluation . . . . . .IV- 1

Overview . . . . . .IV- 2

Design Influences on Beatrix Farrand . . . . . .IV- 3

Introduction . . . . . .IV- 3

Biography of Beatrix Farrand . . . . . .IV- 3

Farrand's Key Design Elements . . . . . .IV- 8

Introduction . . . . . .IV- 8

Scale . . . . . .IV- 9

Circulation . . . . . .IV- 9

Water . . . . . .IV- 9

Topography . . . . . IV-10

Vegetation . . . . . .IV-10

Color . . . . . .IV-12

Incorporation of Existing Structures . . . . . .IV-12

Endnotes . . . . . .IV-13

Evaluation of Landscape Characteristics . . . . . .IV-18

Introduction . . . . . .IV-18

Spatial Organization . . . . . .IV-19

Lovers' Lane Entrance . . . . . .IV-19

Southern Slope . . . . . .IV-20

Stream Valley . . . . . .IV-20

Designed Woodland . . . . . .IV-21

Meadows . . . . . .IV-21

Northern Woodland . . . . . .IV-21

Topography . . . . . .IV-22

Response to Natural Features . . . . . .IV-23

Land Use . . . . . .IV-24

Circulation . . . . . .IV-25

Lovers' Lane . . . . . .IV-25

Beech Grove . . . . . .IV-26

Iris Path . . . . . .IV-26

Forsythia Steps . . . . . .IV-26

Hazel Walk . . . . . .IV-27

Stepping-Stone Path . . . . . .IV-27

Stream Paths . . . . . .IV-27

Woodland Paths . . . . . .IV-28

Farm Track . . . . . .IV-29

Meadows . . . . . .IV-29

Views and Vistas . . . . . .IV-32

Dumbarton Oaks Gardens - Upper Gardens . . . . . .IV-32

Lovers' Lane and Connecting Paths . . . . . .IV-32

Stream Valley . . . . . .IV-33

Woodland and Meadows . . . . . .IV-33

Vegetation . . . . . .IV-35

Beech Grove . . . . . .IV-36

Southern Slope . . . . . .IV-38

Stream Valley . . . . . .IV-47

Designed Woodland . . . . . .IV-58

Meadows . . . . . .IV-59

Northern Woodland . . . . . .IV-61

Water Features . . . . . .IV-65

Structures . . . . . .IV-67

Lovers' Lane Channel . . . . . .IV-67

Lovers' Lane Entrance Gate and Piers . . . . . .IV-67

Beech Grove Retaining Wall . . . . . .IV-68

Stone Bridge . . . . . .IV-68

Old Stone Pump House . . . . . .IV-68

Gray Arbor . . . . . .IV-68

Old Pump House . . . . . .IV-69

Spring Grotto and Pebble Stream . . . . . .IV-69

Stream Arbor . . . . . .IV-70

Forsythia Arch . . . . . .IV-70

Small-Scale Features . . . . . .IV-72

Boundary-Defining Features: Gates and Fences . . . . . .IV-72

Boundary-Defining Features: Boundary Markers . . . . . .IV-73

Signs . . . . . .IV-73

Site Furniture: Benches . . . . . .IV-74

Site Furniture: Birdbaths . . . . . .IV-75

Edging and Marker Stones . . . . . .IV-76

Millstone . . . . . .IV-76

Drainage: Lovers' Lane Channel . . . . . .IV-77

Pedestrian Bridges . . . . . .IV-77

Gravestones . . . . . .IV-78

Statue . . . . . .IV-78

V. Illustrations . . . . . . V- 1

VI. Appendices . . . . . . VI- 1

Appendix A: Beatrix Farrand, "Composition and Design" . . . . . . VI- 2

Appendix B: Beatrix Farrand, "The Oaks," Report to Mildred Bliss,

24, 25, June 1922 . . . . . . VI- 6

Appendix C: Farrand to Harry Thompson, Letter, 21 Nov. 1942 . . . . . . VI- 8

Appendix D: Farrand to Harry Thompson, Letter, 29 March 1943 . . . . . . VI-12

Appendix E?

VII. Bibliography . . . . . .VII- 1