SHARING THE STORY OF AMERICA’S BEGINNING
Locust Grove Master Plan
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Louisville, Kentucky CLIENT
Historic Locust Grove, Inc. Louisville Metro Parks Department SERVICES
Master Planning
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LOCUS T GROVE MAST E R P L A N
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istoric Locust Grove Grove, Inc. solicited GS&P to develop a (HLG) is a museum and definitive master plan for the well-prehistoric site that pre- served property. serves and interprets “Historic Locust Grove had been laythe original 1790s Georgian mansion ing a lot of groundwork through other of William and Lucy initiatives they’d underClark Croghan. Along taken, gathering inforwith Lucy’s brother— mation about their Louisville founder and facility, processes and Revolutionary War programming,” shares AT THE CORE OF hero General George senior landscape archiTHIS PROJECT WAS Rogers Clark—the coutect Jon Henney. “So HISTORIC LOCUST ple welcomed a genthere was a lot of very eration of American useful background GROVE’S INTENTION luminaries to the home, information that was TO CREATE A SENSE including presidents readily available as we began the projAndrew Jackson and OF DESTINATION.” James Monroe. ect, which was a great Amin Omidy, Situated on 55 ruskick-start.” LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT tic acres, the center“At the core of this piece historic home project was Historic is located just 6 miles Locust Grove’s intennortheast of downtion to create a sense of town Louisville. With destination,” adds landthe goal of activating scape architect Amin the entire site to enable Omidy. “The site sees HLG to tell a broader approximately 25,000 story of its history, visitors a year, which is attract new audiences, a relatively low number and help ensure a sustainable future given its historic importance, and was for the organization, Louisville Metro largely unknown to a lot of demographics Parks Department and Historic Locust throughout and outside of Louisville.”
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Builders of the 1790s Georgian mansion, William and Lucy Clark Croghan (pictured), along with Lucy’s brother, General George Rogers Clark, welcomed a generation of American luminaries to their home. (Portraits courtesy of Historic Locust Grove)
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CREATING A BLUEPRINT
Given the unique nature of the project, a six-pronged plan was conceived as the master plan blueprint. This included: activating the entire site to enhance audience experience; designing site-sensitive parking solutions; creating clear delineations between historic and recreated artifacts; integrating and utilizing the land beyond the historic core; exploring a wider range of interpretive programming;
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and creating a new layout to enhance the arrival experience. “Historic Locust Grove assembled an advisory group made up of members of their board to work with us,” explains Henney. “Those early meetings helped us gain a clearer understanding of what the focus of our particular master planning efforts were. In many ways, it was those exercises that began to point us in the direction of those six major goals.”
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ACTIVATE THE SITE TO
DESIGN SITE-
DELINEATE BETWEEN
ENHANCE AUDIENCE
SENSITIVE PARKING
HISTORIC AND
EXPERIENCE
SOLUTIONS
RECREATED ARTIFACTS
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INTEGRATE AND
EXPLORE A RANGE
CREATE A NEW LAYOUT
UTILIZE THE LAND
OF INTERPRETIVE
TO ENHANCE THE
BEYOND THE CORE
PROGRAMMING
ARRIVAL EXPERIENCE
LOCUS T GROVE MAST E R P L A N
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HISTORIC PRESERVATION ARCHITECTS MASTER
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS/ ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN CONSULTANTS
PLANNER (GS&P) PROGRAM DESIGN SPECIALISTS
ARCHAEOLOGISTS
A COLLABORATIVE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH A National Historic Landmark, Historic the people who contributed to the his- consultant concentrated on reaping the Locust Grove was opened to the pub- tory of the site. most from the property from an environ“A little unusual and unique to our lic in 1979. The site encompasses 13 mental perspective, helping to identify buildings, inclusive of the main house, process, we selected a very diverse what’s historic and important to both and features gardens, fields, a spring, team of consultants to work with us the site and the core area surroundfarm buildings, and woodlands that on the project, bringing in specialists ing the mansion. Our archaeological who could directly speak toward areas stretch over the surrounding 55 acres. partner revealed what portions of the such as programming and the design site had potential for historic features Although the main house attracts a wide range of visitors each year, the roll- of museum exhibits. and needed to be used more sensiing field beyond the historic tively. Our programming core was underutilized and consultant not only worked offered the greatest potential on existing programming for interpretive programbut also helped clarify future ...THROUGH OUR PROCESS, WE REVEALED ming—critical in allowing interpretive programming A LOT OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES THAT MIGHT for the site. So through our HLG the flexibility to offer new experiences while mainprocess, we revealed a lot NOT HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED INITIALLY.” taining their core values. of new opportunities that “The original focus of the might not have been conAmin Omidy site was on the buildings and sidered initially.” structures as opposed to the 55 acres The team included historic pres“It was a combination of identifying that were available,” explains Omidy. ervation architects John Milner and what different elements were needed to “Part of our role was identifying how to Associates, Inc.; landscape architects supplement our expertise,” adds Henney, engage the entire site in new and exciting and environmental design consultants “then selecting consultants who already ways that would offer the client plenty Environs Inc.; archaeologists Corn had a solid working knowledge of the of opportunities to bring in a variety Island Archeology; and program design facility so we had a strong head start of programming. For example, in the specialists Solid Light. moving our effort forward.” historic core of the site, we encouraged Omidy describes the individual roles interpretive programming which tells a of the multidisciplinary team: specific story that is tied to the property “Our historic preservation specialist as a National Historic Landmark—a focused on the integrity of the site’s hisstory that reflects the time period and toric structures, while the environmental
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SITE ANALYSIS: The design team evaluated existing site conditions to help identify suitable areas for active and passive programming, historic preservation and viewshed enhancements.
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LOCUS T GROVE MAST E R P L A N
ARCHAEOLOGY EXISTING CONDITIONS
ANALYSIS
HYDROLOGY & TOPOGRAPHY
VEGETATION
VIEWSHED
SOILS
GEOLOGY
INFORMING THE PROCESS With the consultant team in place, the site was evaluated based on physical, cultural, historic and environmental attributes to create a composite analysis. By viewing the site as a whole, certain patterns became apparent and guided the multifaceted planning approach. “Our approach provided Historic Locust Grove the flexibility to utilize the site in a variety of capacities,” explains Henney. “It also allowed them to retain a level of historic accuracy to remain true to their mission as well as uphold their obligation for historic status.”
A site analysis revealed several zones that lent themselves to different levels of activation. By identifying these areas and informing the potential uses, the consultant team was able to accommodate the broad programming requests from the client while preserving the critical core of the site. “We discovered that the site had different levels of authenticity,” notes Omidy. “For example, there’s a decline in historical authenticity as you move eastward from the main house, so those areas became the most appropriate for interpretive programming.”
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PRESERVE BUFFER
REINFORCED TURF OVERFLOW PARKING
EVENT TENT LOCATION
SPRING HOUSE
LOG BARN
VISITORS CENTER
REDEVELOP REAR GARDEN MEADOWS
CREATE VIEWS FOR ARRIVAL EXPERIENCE
MAIN HOUSE
HISTORIC CORE: RESEARCH CULTURAL LANDSCAPE DESIGN AND RESTORE
PROTECT ARCHAEOLOGICAL HOTSPOT
ADA TRAIL
TREES TO PRESERVE
Improving the wooded area, applying structural turf parking and creating a low-maintenance lawn were recommended in the master plan.
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LOCUS T GROVE MAST E R P L A N
21ST-CENTURY SUSTAINABILITY GOALS WOODS With the master plan largely centered on the historic grounds, environmental stewardship became a central theme. Henney discusses the issues related to preserving and enhancing a historical farm, while still applying sustainable features: “As you think about a historical gentleman’s farm, there were a lot of practices that may have been utilized when the farm was active that are no longer
INTERPRETIVE OPPORTUNITIES
considered sustainable today. We had a lot of conversations about that, debating how to give a nod to the historic context without losing sight of 21st-century sustainability goals.” Omidy breaks the sustainability piece down into three additional components: “One; there’s an existing stand of trees, so we recommended the tending of that asset, removing dead wood and invasive species to provide opportunity for more balanced understory and maintenance.” The parking lot was the second consideration. The large area designed to accommodate overflow parking stretches across sensitive archaeological ground which has endured the duress of countless vehicles over time. Tire rutting that occurs after a rain has additionally left the ground battered. A typical fix might involve a standard blacktop treatment. However, in the spirit of sustainability, the master plan recommends the recovery of any historical artifacts, followed by the application of reinforced turf; a material that would not only integrate the space into the surrounding natural environment, but would also be permeable, allowing water to drain naturally into the soil. “The third component,” Omidy continues, “is taking the large grass area in the middle of the site and creating a turf solution that’s mowed less frequently. That helps with maintenance costs and is more sustainable.” Also recommended are varieties of plant species that will flourish with a similar maintenance regimen, and be more in line with how a yard would have been maintained historically.
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DIVERSITY IN VISITORSHIP AND TELLING THE STORY
While the master plan addresses a Since being on the National Register broad spectrum of elements designed to of Historic Places demands certain heighten the visitor experience, improve historic requisites, and history is at the site programming, and raise awareness heart of the site, getting the story told accurately became a focal point. of both the history and importance of the site within the community, there “There is so much to be told, “ stresses is also an objective to attract wider Omidy. “Telling the stories from the visitor diversity in terms of age and original family. Telling the stories of the slaves who ethnic demographics. “Historic Locust worked on the farm Grove is reaching and their cultural heritage. Thinking school-age children A BIG PART OF THE through what it and the more senior population, but it’s meant to build this MASTER PLAN WAS the piece in the midhouse in Kentucky at IDENTIFYING WAYS IN dle they aren’t making the time it was built; enough of a conneca gentleman’s farm WHICH THE CLIENT tion with,” explains in the middle of wilCOULD ACTIVATE THE Henney. “So, from derness at the western the programming edge of a new world. ENTIRE PROPERTY...” side, we explored Getting all that on Jon Henney, better ways to draw one site was the most SENIOR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT that age group. We challenging part of also discussed what the project as well as the most rewarding.” kind of changes they could implement to atHenney believes if tract more ethnically the site can be viewed diverse visitorship.” as both a testament to Omidy sees anAmerican history as other challenge in well as a well-mainhow to tell HLG’s tained asset offering a unique story, particvariety of experiences, ularly on a 55-acre site that once spanned its appeal will resonate with a wider 700 acres: range of demographics. “There are connections to the river “A big part of the master plan was that are part of the original property, identifying ways in which the client so there are different programmatic could activate the entire property, proaspects that really couldn’t exist on 55 viding attractions for visitors who aren’t acres. That took some distilling by the necessarily history buffs. You can also team and the Historic Locust Grove go there simply because it’s a beautiful plan committee to think through and park-like setting where kids can play; you can have picnics or walk the trails. evaluate: What are the stories and which In many ways, external programming ones are the most important?” activities will broaden that reach.”
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LOCUS T GROVE MAST E R P L A N
A UNIQUE PROCESS By implementing a collaborative and process that clarified and refined their multidisciplinary approach to enrich project goals, and resulted in a better the overall design solution, GS&P helped understanding of their mission and ultiHistoric Locust Grove meet key objec- mately what their vision needed to be.” “One of the nice surprises revealed tives to protect and preserve a significant in that process was that historic resource, provide it sparked a lot of great improvements to meet 21st-century functional ideas,” adds Omidy. “Determining how we needs, and offer a contexTHIS PROJECT could best put those tual understanding of the WAS AS MUCH importance of those who ideas together for the lived and worked on the final document was a real ABOUT PROCESS historic property. achievement. It was a cirAS END PRODUCT.” cuitous journey at times, “This project was as much about process but the end result yielded Jon Henney as end product,” says a master plan that moves Henney, referring to the the organization forward collective effort that involved a broad to meet their goals, engage new audispectrum of disciplines. “It provided ences, and think through how they can unforeseen value to the client because be both economically and environmenthe team led them through a unique tally sustainable.”
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TE A M PIC, PP Jonathan D. Henney, aicp, asla PM Michael Sewell, p.e. PP David Amin Omidy, asla, pla
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