B08_SOL_ATT-2_(Pt-2).pdf

Harmony Hall Development Concept Plan

March 2022

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

RFQ ATT-2 (Pt-2) / EX-D

National Capital Parks-East Washington, DC

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The Harmony Hall Development Concept Plan (Concept Plan) outlines potential improvements within Harmony Hall park that would improve visitor access and provide an exceptional environment for outdoor learning and passive recreation. Harmony Hall became a unit of the national park system in 1966 via the Capper-Cramton Act (Public Law 71-284). The site represents a complex social and physical history that is associated with Native American occupation, enslaved people, and the civil rights movement. The current Harmony Hall property is composed of two historic land patents. Today, the approximately 65-acre property includes forested and open areas; the Harmony Hall manor house, an 18th-century, two-and-one half-story, Georgian country house (referred to as the “Harmony Hall house” in this document); the ruins of Want Water, a dwelling built in about 1736; the 1748 Want Water Canal; views to Broad Creek and the Potomac River; an approximately 0.4-mile trail; and a complex cultural landscape and archeological legacy.

Although Harmony Hall’s grounds are currently open to the public, no improvements have been made to the site to accommodate visitor use and safety. The site is currently unstaffed. The park has never had a management, development, or interpretive plan since the property came under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service (NPS) in 1966.

This Concept Plan develops a management path forward that will shape the future of Harmony Hall.

At the beginning of the planning process, the NPS developed the purpose for the Concept Plan to explore and identify future public uses of Harmony Hall that provide new and enriched visitor experiences at the site in a manner that:

• Improves opportunities for learning and recreation

• Minimizes impacts on existing natural and cultural resources

• Conveys the entire history of the Harmony Hall site

• Respects the site’s ecological setting and complex historical context

• Is realistic in terms of what the NPS can provide and maintain when planning for visitor use

Concept Plan Recommendations Overall, the Concept Plan improves public access to Harmony Hall and provides exciting opportunities for visitors to experience and connect with nature, see and learn about the past, and enjoy open space and water access. Specific elements of the Concept Plan include the following:

• Selective removal of overgrown vegetation

• Stabilization of the Want Water ruins, Want Water Canal, and Slash Creek

• Expanded trail system, including an accessible trail to provide universal access for visitors with disabilities

• Future potential external trail connections to the Harmony Hall Regional Center and the Henson Creek Trail

• Wayside interpretation signage highlighting the park’s history and ecological features

• Flexible open space for picnicking, informal passive recreation, and enjoying views

• Options for the adaptive reuse of the Harmony Hall house, stable, and bungalow to provide support space and/or public facilities, with opportunities for leasing partnerships

• Informative demonstration garden

• Enhanced entrance and wayfinding signage and security measures

• Parking, including bicycle parking

Moving Forward The Concept Plan outlines both existing challenges and the steps needed to move toward implementation.

The document describes current conditions; considers existing buildings and structures for adaptive reuse;

and identifies environmental constraints. In addition, the Concept Plan identifies potential funding sources, potential partnerships, and the regulatory framework for implementation.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Table of Contents

Appendices Appendix A: Public and Stakeholder Engagement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1

Appendix B: Visitor Capacity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1

Executive Summary

I. Introduction Planning Goals Public and Stakeholder Engagement Process

II. Current Conditions Site History Existing Features and Visitor Use Nearby Recreation Opportunities Policies and Park Management and Operations Operational, Maintenance, and Environmental Challenges

III. Concept Plan Recommendations Overall Harmony Hall Concept Plan Concept Plan Options

IV. Moving Forward Priority Steps to Realizing Concept Plan Funding Opportunities Potential Partnerships Regulatory Requirements

V. References

Acronyms ABAAS Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards

ARPA Archeological Resources Protection Act

CE Categorical Exclusion

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

DO NPS Director's Orders

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency

FLTP Federal Lands Transportation Program

IVUMC Interagency Visitor Use Management Council

M-NCPPC Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission

NEEF National Environmental Education Foundation

NEPA National Environmental Policy Act

NFWF National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

NHPA National Historic Preservation Act

NPS National Park Service

NRHP National Register of Historic Places

NRPA National Recreation and Park Association

PEPC NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment

PHNST Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

REI Recreational Equipment, Inc

SUPs stand-up paddle boards

USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

USPP U.S. Park Police

4 4

View from north of the Harmony Hall House looking west towards the West Open Lawn, West Pasture, and Broad Creek (2020)

5 Introduction

I. INTRODUCTION

The National Park Service (NPS) has the opportunity to re-envision the future use of a historic and scenic site along the Potomac River in a way that makes the site accessible to more visitors and provides an environment for outdoor learning and passive recreation. Harmony Hall is an approximately 65-acre property located in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

The property is bordered by Livingston Road to the east, Broad Creek to the west, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission’s treatment facility to the north, and the Harmony Hall Regional Center and private property owners to the south. The property is administed by NPS and is managed by National Capital Parks - East (Figure 1).

Harmony Hall is composed of forested and open space areas that include an 18th century manor house, the ruins of an 18th century dwelling, views to Broad Creek and the Potomac River, and a trail. Although the Harmony Hall grounds are open to the public, the site does not provide public vehicle access, parking, facilities, or amenities, the historic structures are closed, and no NPS staff are stationed at the site.

The Harmony Hall Development Concept Plan (Concept Plan) presents ideas for the future development and uses of the Harmony Hall park area. The Concept Plan is the first step in the overall decision-making process for the future of Harmony Hall. Certain proposed actions in this Concept Plan would require additional environmental and historical preservation compliance prior to implementation. Furthermore, implementation may occur over time as funds become available.

In this document, “Harmony Hall” is used to reference the 65-acre property that this Concept Plan is developed for. “Harmony Hall house” is used to reference the 18th century manor house present on the property.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

In 1966, Harmony Hall came under the jurisdiction of the NPS through the authority of the Capper Crampton Act of 1930, which provided for “the acquisition of lands in the District of Columbia and the States of Maryland and Virginia requisite to the comprehensive park, parkway, and playground system of the National Capital.” The NPS purchased the property from Sue Spencer Collins with the agreement that she could reside in the Harmony Hall house for the remainder of her life. From 1985 to 1999, the NPS leased the property to the Battersea Driving Company. The company’s owners lived at the Harmony Hall house and operated a horse farm and carriage driving school.

Since 1999, Harmony Hall has remained unoccupied.

The property has never had a management, development, or interpretive plan (NPS 2016, 2018).

As identified in the National Capital Parks - East Foundation Document (2016), Harmony Hall’s park purpose (i.e., the specific reason(s) for establishment of the park) is to preserve and interpret southern Maryland cultural heritage and the associated historic, scenic, and natural resources of the site. The site also provides opportunities for outdoor recreation as part of a comprehensive system of parks, parkways, and recreational areas in and around the nation’s capital that also preserves forests and contributes to the protection of source water and pollution prevention.

As identified in the National Capital Parks - East Foundation Document (2016), Harmony Hall is significant for the following reasons:

• Harmony Hall is significant for its association with 18th century colonial settlement and its Georgian architecture, which is characteristic of early Potomac River masonry plantation houses.

• The site contains important historical remnants of the American colonial era and the early commercial use of the Potomac River, including the ruins of the Want Water house and canal.

6 Harmony Hall Development Concept Plan

Figure 1 Harmony Hall Location

7 Introduction

• Robert Stein, a well-known explorer and linguist, purchased Harmony Hall in 1892 and encouraged emigration from his homeland of Silesia, Prussia, which has influenced the ethnographic make-up of the surrounding community, now known as Silesia, Maryland.

• In the early 20th century, Charles Collins purchased the property with the intention to create a romanticized southern plantation experience on the site. Collins was a segregationist and strategist for the Dixiecrat Party. His efforts to preserve and re-envision the property are a complex and often ignored component of American history that directly influenced the civil rights movement.

• Harmony Hall is the keystone property of the Broad Creek Historic District, the first historic district in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

PLANNING GOALS

The Concept Plan develops a management approach that will shape the future of Harmony Hall. At the beginning of the planning process, the NPS developed the goal for the Concept Plan to explore and identify future public uses of Harmony Hall that provide new and enriched visitor experiences at the site in a manner that:

• Improves opportunities for learning and recreation

• Minimizes impacts on existing natural and cultural resources

• Conveys the entire history of the Harmony Hall site

• Respects the site’s ecological setting and complex historical setting

• Is realistic in terms of what the NPS can provide and maintain when planning for visitor use

PUBLIC AND STAKEHOLDER

ENGAGEMENT PROCESS

The NPS provided multiple opportunities for public and stakeholder participation in the development of the Concept Plan. The NPS solicited input from the public and stakeholders at the beginning and middle of the planning process to learn about the public’s vision for Harmony Hall and receive feedback on Concept Plan options.

Public Comment Period 1 The NPS held a 30-day public comment period (March 22, 2021-April 22, 2021), including one virtual public meeting. This comment period provided an opportunity for the public and stakeholders to share their vision for Harmony Hall’s future, to provide feedback on an initial range of planning concepts, and to identify any issues, concerns, or ideas they might have with respect to the project. During the virtual public meeting on March 22, 2021, the NPS reviewed the project background, the significance and history of Harmony Hall, and existing conditions, considerations, and constraints. The NPS also presented and asked attendees to share their thoughts on an initial range of concept options that provided ground improvements (i.e., vegetation treatment and shoreline stabilization), an expanded trail network, and options for building and ground improvements in the area around the Harmony Hall house. The same material was also presented at a virtual stakeholder meeting held earlier on March 2, 2021. Approximately 50 and 60 attendees participated in the virtual public meeting and the virtual stakeholder meeting respectively, including NPS staff and consultant representatives.

Additional information about Public Comment Period 1, including a summary of comments received, is available in Appendix A.

8 Harmony Hall Development Concept Plan

Public Comment Period 2 The NPS held a second 30-day public comment period (September 14, 2021-October 14, 2021), including one virtual public meeting, to present revised Concept Plan options for Harmony Hall. The Concept Plan options considered the comments received during the stakeholder meeting and first public comment period.

Approximately 30 attendees, including NPS staff and consultant representatives, participated in the virtual public meeting on September 14, 2021 .

The NPS considered the comments received during the second public comment period in preparation of the final Concept Plan included in this document.

Additional information about Public Comment Period 2, including a summary of comments received, is available in Appendix A.

Compilation of Public Comments NPS staff worked with consultants to compile all comments submitted at the public meetings, via mail, or via the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website during the public comment periods. Eight and six pieces of correspondence regarding the Plan were recorded during Public Comment Periods 1 and 2, respectively. The comments covered a wide range of topics, summarized below:

• Support of the proposed plan

• Site development (Want Water stabilization, adaptation of the stable, and Harmony Hall house rehabilitation)

• Security (vandalism and lack of visibility)

• Recreation uses (active recreation, kayaking, and events)

• Trails (routes, horseback riding, bicycle use)

• Interpretation (reflect full history, coordination with other historic properties and local organizations, signage, and tours)

• Treatment of archeological resources

• Balance of recreation, historic preservations, and nature resources

• Potential implications of climate change

• More details (specific plans and clearer explanations)

• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance and process

• Transportation and parking (parking availability and traffic)

• Partnerships to support interpretation, maintenance and operations, and programming

• Revenue (entrance fees and/or event fees)

NPS staff made the final determinations about the recommendations in this Concept Plan based on applicable laws and policies, as well as the comments made by the public and stakeholders.

Existing Trail leading to Want Water (2020)

Harmony Hall Development Concept Plan10

Harmony Hall contains forested areas, open spaces, and buildings and structures from the 18th and 20th centuries. The park’s rich history and location along the Potomac River provide multiple opportunities for cultural and ecological interpretation. Although Harmony Hall’s grounds are currently open to the public, no improvements have been made to the site to accommodate visitor use and safety.

SITE HISTORY

Facilities and features present on the Harmony Hall landscape today and potential maintenance and environmental challenges are reflective of the long and complex history of the Harmony Hall property.

This section presents an overview of Harmony Hall’s history.

The location of Harmony Hall, at the confluence of the mouth of Broad Creek and the Potomac River, has been a desirable location for human habitation for at least 10,000 years. Archeological evidence indicates that Native Americans camped, hunted, and resided here long before European colonization.

The current Harmony Hall property is composed of two historical land patents. Battersea, the historic name of the land on which the Harmony Hall house is located, was a 500-acre tract patented in 1662. Want Water was patented in 1706.

During the 1700s, Prince George’s County became the leading tobacco producing county in Maryland.

Want Water and Harmony Hall were both tobacco plantations. Planters were required by law to have tobacco inspected prior to shipment to ensure quality and integrity of Maryland tobacco. Planters, using the labor of enslaved Africans, brought their crop first to a tobacco warehouse for inspection and storage. In the late 1740s, a tobacco inspection station and hand-dug canal were both constructed adjacent to the Want Water house, which was constructed in the early 1700s.

The canal provided planters direct access from the Potomac River to the inspection station. The canal was the first shipping canal in the Chesapeake region and one of the first in the 13 colonies.

In the 1760s, the Harmony Hall and Want Water properties were combined into a single estate under the ownership of Enoch Magruder. The Harmony Hall house was likely built around 1769-1780. Magruder was a slave-owner and more than 25 enslaved individuals toiled on the Harmony Hall plantation.

Charles Wallace Collins purchased Harmony Hall in 1929 and Want Water in 1930. Collins restored the Harmony Hall house, operated a farm, and planted a small formal garden. Shortly after he purchased the house, he transformed the grounds to a landscape that included elements of the Colonial Revival style and the plantations of his native Alabama. Collins also constructed outbuildings along one of the house’s entrance drives reminiscent of a Southern plantation. Although influential in his banking and law career, Collins is significant for his role within the Dixiecrat Party, organized in the summer of 1948 by conservative white Southern Democrats committed to states’ rights and maintaining segregation and opposed to federal intervention into race and, to a lesser degree, labor relations.

Harmony Hall came under the jurisdiction of the NPS in 1966, under the authority of the Public Law 71-284, the Capper-Cramton Act (NPS 2016, 2018).

EXISTING FEATURES AND

VISITOR USE

Today, the Harmony Hall landscape includes forested areas and open fields, views of Broad Creek and the Potomac River, and 18th and 20th century buildings and structures (Figure 2). The overall landscape gradually rises across the property from west to east, or from Broad Creek to Livingston Road (Figure 21). Diagrams and photographs of the Harmony Hall property, including floorplans of the Harmony Hall house, are presented in the following pages.

Harmony Hall currently provides opportunities for outdoor recreation only. Visitors can hike along an existing trail, enjoy forested scenery and views of Broad Creek and the Potomac River, view exteriors of historic buildings and structures, view wildlife, and bird watch. The interior of the Harmony Hall house and bungalow, described below, are not open to the public. The site contains no interpretive signage, public vehicle access, public parking, or public facilities (e.g., II. CURRENT CONDITIONS

Current Conditions 11

Figure 2 Existing Conditions

Harmony Hall Development Concept Plan12 restrooms). Parking is available at the Harmony Hall Regional Center, a non-NPS property located south and adjacent to the site. Visitors may access the site on foot through a gated driveway along Livingston Road.

The predominate feature on the property is the Harmony Hall manor house, an 18th-century, two-and-one-half-story, red brick Georgian country house.

The exact date of the house’s construction is unknown, but it was likely constructed around 1769-1780. When completed, the house was 56 feet long and one-room deep (referred to as the Main Block in this document).

Two additional wings were later constructed on the south side of the house. The first additional wing (referred to as the Central South Addition in this document) was constructed in 1929-1934 and expanded in 1941. The second additional wing (referred to as the South Addition in this document) was constructed in 1988 (NPS 2016, 2018). The house interior is not currently open to the public (Figure 3 to Figure 7 ).

Figure 3 1967-Present Floorplan of the Harmony Hall House Source: NPS 2012

Current Conditions 13

Figure 4 Harmony Hall House East Elevation (Livingston Road side) (2020)

Figure 5 Interior of the Harmony Hall House - Dining Room, First Floor, Main Block (2020)

Figure 6 Interior of the Harmony Hall House - Living Room, First Floor, Main Block (2020)

Figure 7 Interior of the Harmony Hall House - Central Hall, First Floor, Main Block (2020)

Harmony Hall Development Concept Plan14

Figure 8 Oval-Shaped Lawn that was formerly a Horse Corral (2020)

Figure 9 West Open Lawn (2020)

Figure 10 View from the Harmony Hall House of the West Open Lawn (Foreground), West Pasture, and Broad Creek (Background) (2020)

Figure 11 Ha-ha (2020) Figure 12 West Pasture (2020)

Current Conditions 15

Open lawns are located to the southeast and west of the house. The oval-shaped lawn to the southeast of the house was formerly a fenced horse corral built by the Battersea Driving Company during their 1985-1999 lease of the property (Figure 8). The open lawn to the west of the house provides views towards Broad Creek and the Potomac River (Figure 9 and Figure 10).

A ha-ha wall, constructed in the 1930s of random dry rubble, separates the west lawn from a former pasture (Figure 11 and Figure 12). A ha-ha is a garden border, frequently a retaining wall, concealed in a trench and constructed to maintain views while preventing livestock from entering formal gardens.

The west pasture was once a cleared open space that allowed views to and from the Harmony Hall house and the Potomac River. Today, the historically open character of the space has been reduced by the growth of tall grasses, woody vegetation, and scattered cedar trees. Although views to and from the Harmony Hall house and the Potomac River are present, heavy foliage partially obstructs views to and from the house in the spring and summer (Figure 10).

A two-story, concrete-block bungalow and a cinderblock horse stable are located south of the Harmony Hall house. Constructed in the early 20th century by Collins, the bungalow housed Collins’ office (Figure 13). The eight-bay stable was constructed by the Battersea Driving Company during their 1985- 1999 lease of the property (Figure 14).

The ruins of an early-18th century dwelling known as Want Water are located at the edge of Broad Creek in the northwestern corner of the property. Of the original one-and-a-half story building, only the two brick end walls and chimneys, and fieldstone foundation remain (Figure 16 and Figure 17). In the late 1740s, a hand-dug canal, known as the Want Water Canal, was constructed adjacent to the Want Water house (Figure 15).

In addition to the canal, other water features on the Harmony Hall property include Broad Creek and Slash Creek, tributaries of the Potomac River. Broad Creek forms the western boundary of the Harmony Hall property, whereas Slash Creek is located in the southwestern corner of the property. The two creeks are tidal in nature and as a result, marshes with characteristic tidal vegetation have developed west of the creeks and serve as the transition to the Potomac River.

Figure 13 Bungalow (2020)

Figure 14 Stable (2020)

Figure 15 Want Water Canal (2020)

Harmony Hall Development Concept Plan16

Figure 16 Want Water (1935) Source: Historic American Buildings Survey

Figure 17 Want Water (2020)

Current Conditions 17

Aside from the open lawns and former pasture, vegetation at the site predominately consists of woodlands to the north and south of the Harmony Hall house. Additional vegetation includes:

• Rows of red cedars (Juniperus virginiana) on the west side of the house to the north and south

• English boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) to the north and south of western entrance to the house

• An allée of bald cypress trees (Taxodium distichum) extending north from Slash Creek to the southwest of the house (Figure 18)

• Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stand to the north of the house, which is distinct from the surrounding deciduous woodland

• Riparian vegetation along Broad Creek and Slash Creek

Circulation features within the property include:

• A gated tree-lined driveway at the southeast corner of the property that provides vehicle access from Livingston Road

• Traces of a circular drive in front of the eastern entrance of the Harmony Hall house

• A 0.4-mile natural trail, which connects the Harmony Hall house and Want Water (Figure 19)

• Traces of former internal farm roads, a formal driveway entering the property from the northeast, and a driveway between the northeast and southeast driveways

Additional features on the property include fencing, entrance gates and gate posts, and a brick terrace. A terrace located on the hill slope south of the bungalow consists of a series of well-defined terraces, braced with stacked stone retaining walls. Remnants of brick edging is present and a series of lined channels define the pathways. A stone stair path bisects the terrace.

The terrace dates to the Collins ownership period of the property in the 1930s (NPS 2012, 2016, 2018).

Figure 18 Cypress Allée (2020)

Figure 19 Natural Trail (2020)

Harmony Hall Development Concept Plan18

NEARBY RECREATION

OPPORTUNITIES

Several Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) parks, parkland, trails, and recreation facilities are located within a two-mile radius of Harmony Hall (Figure 20). These facilities offer multiple active and passive recreation opportunities.

Directly south of Harmony Hall, the Harmony Hall Regional Center contains an art gallery, concert hall, fitness room, meeting and multipurpose rooms, a preschool room, and a playground. The center offers programs for seniors and teenagers (M-NCPPC n.d.a).

Riverview Community Park, located farther south of Harmony Hall, includes a ball field, football/soccer field, basketball court, tennis courts, a picnic area, and a playground.

North of Harmony Hall is Henson Creek Stream Valley Park, a linear park along Henson Creek extending north to south from Suitland Parkway to Broad Creek near Harmony Hall. The park contains the 5.7-mile shared-use Henson Creek Trail, which passes through several neighborhoods and community parks (M-NCPPC n.d.b). The trail extends north to south from Temple Hill Road to Oxon Hill Road. The trail does not currently connect to Harmony Hall.

The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail (PHNST) on-road bicycle route is located on Livingston Road adjacent to Harmony Hall. The PHNST is a network of hiking, bicycling, and water trails and routes that provide a variety of outdoor recreation experiences from the mouth of the Potomac River to Alleghany Highlands in western Pennsylvania (NPS 2020). A shared roadway is planned for the PHNST route along Livingston Road adjacent to Harmony Hall. Bike lanes are planned for the PHNST north and south of Harmony Hall (M-NCPPC 2009).

The Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, a water trail, follows the Potomac River past Harmony Hall. However, there are no public water access sites for canoes or kayaks located within two miles of Harmony Hall. The closest public water access sites are the Belle Haven Marina to the north in Virginia and Fort Washington Marina to the south in Maryland, located approximately 3.3 and 4.5 miles, respectively, from Harmony Hall via the Potomac River.

POLICIES AND PARK

MANAGEMENT AND

OPERATIONS

Several policies and documents, ranging from national laws to park-specific plans, guide the management and operation of the National Capital Parks-East and accordingly, Harmony Hall. The overall policies, laws, regulations, and NPS Director’s Orders (DO) that govern Harmony Hall’s management and operations are outlined in Table 1.

Current Conditions 19

Figure 20 Parks, Trails, and Recreation Facilities within a Two-Mile Radius of Harmony Hall

Harmony Hall Development Concept Plan20

Policies and Guidelines Summary

Capper-Cramton Act, 1930 (Public Law 71-284)

Provided federal funds to acquire, establish, and develop the George Washington Memorial Parkway and to acquire lands in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia requisite to the comprehensive park, parkway, and playground system of the National Capital. Under the legislation’s authority, Harmony Hall came under the jurisdiction of the NPS in 1966.

National Capital Parks- East Foundation Document (2016)

Provides basic guidance for planning and management decisions. Fundamental resources and values for Harmony Hall include cultural landscapes, Harmony Hall, natural communities, archeological resources, and the Want Water ruins and Want Water canal. Interpretive themes identified for Harmony Hall include:

• Harmony Hall tells the story of a changing landscape that provides exceptional insight into commercial uses along the Potomac River, the role of the estate as a catalyst for growth and development in the surrounding community, and the evolution of historic preservation practice.

• The Harmony Hall property represents an opportunity to further investigate the archeology and history of human settlement along the Potomac River.

• The Harmony Hall property represents an opportunity to further investigate the cultural and societal history of enslaved workers on a Maryland tobacco plantation.

• The grounds at Harmony Hall protect a variety of natural habitats that support flora and fauna and provide opportunities for visitors to connect with nature and experience outdoor recreation near a densely developed urban area, including the historic loblolly pine trees.

• Harmony Hall was established as a corridor of forest and natural scenery as part of a comprehensive system of parks for recreation, preservation of substantial tracts of forests, and protection of source water in and around the nation’s capital.

NPS Management Policies (2006)

Service-wide policies establishing a broad framework and prescribing parameters for management decisions. Key policy implications are included for natural resource management, cultural resource management, interpretation and education, visitor use, special park uses, park facilities, and commercial visitor services.

36 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 2 – Resource Protection, Public Use and Recreation

Addresses the preservation of natural, cultural, and archeological resources; wildlife protection; and fishing.

Picnicking is allowed. The superintendent may establish conditions for picnicking.

Special events are allowed, provided that there is a meaningful association between the park area and the events, and the observance contributes to the visitor understanding of the significance of the park area, and a permit has been issued by the superintendent.

36 CFR Part 5 – Commercial and Private Operations Commercial operations within the park require permits.

36 CFR Part 18 – Leasing of Properties in Park Areas

Identifies what property may be leased, limitations on the use of property leased, and how lease proposals are solicited and selected.

Table 1 Summary of Policies and Planning Guidance for Harmony Hall

Current Conditions 21

Table 1 Summary of Policies and Planning Guidance for Harmony Hall (Continued)

Policies and Guidelines Summary

National Capital Region Invasive Plant Management Plan and Environmental Assessment (2015)

Ensures that all National Capital Region parks, including the National Capital Parks-East, have access to a range of methods used for the treatment of non-native invasive plant species. Such methods include chemical, biological, manual, mechanical, physical, and cultural treatments.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 1969, as Amended

NEPA provides the tools to implement intended goals by requiring that every federal agency prepare a study of the impacts of “major federal actions having a significant effect on the environment and alternatives to those actions.” It required that each agency make that information an integral part of its decisions. NEPA also requires that agencies make a diligent effort to involve the interested and affected public before they make decisions affecting the environment.

National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), as amended through 2000

NHPA of 1966, as amended through 2000, protects buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that have significant scientific, historic, or cultural value. The act established affirmative responsibilities of federal agencies to preserve historic and prehistoric resources.

Archeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA), ARPA preserves the archeological resources that are key to the history of America.

Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards

(ABAAS)

Standards guiding design to provide universal access for people of all ages and backgrounds to trails, viewing areas, beach access routes and other components of outdoor developed areas on federal sites when newly built or altered.

DO-6: Interpretation and Education

Sets forth operational policies and procedures necessary to maintain effective, high-quality interpretive and educational programs.

DO-7: Volunteers-in-Parks Provides direction to NPS personnel who are responsible for, and/or involved in, implementing the Volunteers-in-Parks program.

DO-12: Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis, and Decision-Making

Directs the way the NPS complies with NEPA, including all aspects of environmental analysis, public involvement, and resource-based decisions.

DO-20: Agreements Establishes NPS policies and procedures for administering agreements and identifies the types of agreements NPS may enter.

DO-22: Recreation Fees Sets forth policies and procedures for administering a fee program.

DO-28: Cultural Resource Management

Provides guidelines for the management of cultural resources, including cultural landscapes, archeological resources, historic and prehistoric structures, museum objects, and ethnographic resources.

DO-28A: Archeology Promotes a common management framework for planning, review, and undertaking archeological activities and other activities that may affect archeological resources within the NPS.

Harmony Hall Development Concept Plan22

OPERATIONAL, MAINTENANCE,

AND ENVIRONMENTAL

CHALLENGES

The planning for Harmony Hall presents new opportunities for visitor experiences and the treatment of park resources. However, the condition of existing buildings and structures, cultural and natural resources, and the potential for litter and vandalism at the park present challenges. The following items summarize some of the issues and obstacles facing the Concept Plan. (Note that this is not intended to be an exhaustive list of resources present at the park; instead it is included to provide an outline of the challenges in managing Harmony Hall.)

Resources that could potentially be affected and the associated environmental consequences, or “impacts” of Concept Plan implementation on those resources, would be identified in the future through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. Where appropriate, the NEPA process would also identify mitigation measures for adverse impacts.

Historic properties and the potential for adverse effects on historic properties as a result of Concept Plan implementation would be identified in the future through the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) process. Where appropriate, the NHPA process would also seek to avoid, minimize, and mitigate potential adverse effects.

Cultural Resources The Harmony Hall house was listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1980. The NRHP nomination lists the area of significance as architecture and the period of significance as 1700-1799, which corresponds with the construction of the house (NPS 1980, 2018).

The Harmony Hall house and the Want Water ruins are contributing resources to the Broad Creek Historic District, which was listed in the NRHP in 2011. The NRHP nomination lists the period of significance beginning in 1662, with the original patent of the 500-acre Battersea tract, from which Broad Creek would develop, and ending in 1783, marking the end of the Revolutionary War and the decline of the British factorage system for tobacco that triggered the decline of the port town of Aire at Broad Creek (NPS 1980).

Table 1 Summary of Policies and Planning Guidance for Harmony Hall (Continued)

Policies and Guidelines Summary

DO-32: Cooperating Associations

Provides guidance on partnerships with cooperative associations and clarifies the responsibilities of NPS and the associations.

DO-42: Accessibility for Visitors with Disabilities

Establishes a framework for the effective implementation of actions necessary to achieve the highest level of accessibility that is reasonable.

DO-52C: Park Signs Establishes and implements standards for the planning, design, fabrication, installation, inventory, and maintenance of outdoors signs for national parks.

DO-53: Special Park Uses Sets forth policies and procedures for administering special park uses.

DO-77: Natural Resource Protection

Provides information necessary to design, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive natural resources management program.

DO-77-1: Wetland Protection Establishes policies, requirements, and standards to protect and preserve wetlands.

DO-77-2: Floodplain Management

Establishes procedures for implementing floodplain protection and management actions.

Current Conditions 23

Harmony Hall is a cultural landscape documented in the 2018 Harmony Hall Cultural Landscapes Inventory.

The cultural landscape has two periods of significance.

The first period, 1708 to 1786, encompasses the construction of the Harmony Hall and Want Water manor houses and their roles in the tobacco trade. The second period, 1929 to 1962, encompasses Collins’ restoration of the Harmony Hall house and redesign of the landscape in the 20th century. Character-defining features that contribute to the landscape’s overall historic significance include (NPS 2018):

• Buildings and structures, including the Harmony Hall house, the bungalow, and Want Water

• Circulation, including the southeast entrance driveway and road traces

• Vegetation, including the boxwoods, the west pasture, and the cypress allée

• Views and vistas, including the view to and from the Potomac River and the view from Livingston Road

• Archeological sites

• Small-scale features, including the ha-ha wall and terrace system south of the bungalow

• Natural systems and features, including Broad Creek, Slash Creek, and the marsh

• Topography

• Spatial organization

• Constructed water features, including the Want Water Canal

Additionally, archeological sites have been recorded within Harmony Hall. As described in the Site History section, the location of Harmony Hall has been a desirable location for human habitation for at least 10,000 years. Archeological evidence indicates the presence of Native Americans long before European colonization. Archeological investigations have also yielded information regarding the historic occupation of Harmony Hall. Further investigation is likely to reveal new information about prehistoric occupation, Want Water’s commercial history, the colonial occupation of the Harmony Hall manor, and the lives of enslaved individuals who toiled on the property

(NPS 2016).

Existing Buildings and Structures The Harmony Hall house is in poor condition. Small-scale historic preservation efforts are ongoing, but the house is in need of a full-scale rehabilitation. A conditions assessment in a 2012 Historic Structure Report for the house noted that the house will require significant improvements in order to return it to a stable and usable facility. At the core of these improvements is the correction of the water infiltration issues, which have caused the deterioration and failing of the building envelope and interior finishes. Portions of the structural framing will need to be reinforced and possibly repaired to assure stability and allow for different uses to be considered for the house. The site utilities and services will also need to be upgraded to comply with all applicable code and standards.

To learn more about the history, exterior and interior features, and existing condition of the Harmony Hall house, check out the 2012 Harmony Hall Historic Structure Report (https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/ DownloadFile/657776).

To learn more about Harmony Hall’s history and cultural resources, check out the 2018 Harmony Hall Cultural Landscape Inventory (https://irma.nps.gov/ DataStore/DownloadFile/610170).

The ha-ha, bungalow, and Want Water ruins are deteriorating. At the ha-ha, some sections have collapsed or vegetation is growing between the stones or along the trench bottom. Bramble and woody vegetation obscure the structure. The ha-ha wall has lost integrity of materials and workmanship due to complete collapse in some places. The bungalow is also in need of repair. Water damage is present along the roof line, the plaster is delaminating from the exterior, architectural ghosts of former porches and shutters are visible, and vegetation has encroached over the exterior of the structure.

Stabilization efforts of the Want Water ruins, including the bracing of the structure are needed in order to ensure survival. Repointing and the capping of exposed horizontal surfaces is necessary. Once the bracing is introduced, trees that are growing to the north of the south wall can be removed. Foundation stabilization is needed. This matter deserves further study. Security measures around the ruins should be improved to protect both the ruin and visitors to the site. The existing split rail fence is not adequate and is falling down.

https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/DownloadFile/657776 https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/DownloadFile/657776 https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/DownloadFile/610170 https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/DownloadFile/610170

Harmony Hall Development Concept Plan24

Vines and vegetation have encroached into the interior of the non-historic former stable. The vines appear to be compromising the integrity of the structure. Doors and movable panels are either open or missing from the structure (NPS 2012, 2016, 2018).

Historical documents present evidence of other structures from the 18th century present on the Harmony Hall site, including single room outbuildings, barns, slave quarters, tenements dwelling houses, tobacco houses, barns, stable, and outhouses (NPS 2018). However, the location of these structures are unknown due to changes made to the site during the Collins’ period of ownership in the 20th century.

Natural Resources Wildlife and Vegetation A variety of natural habitats are supported along the Potomac River shoreline of Harmony Hall. These habitats include tidal wetlands, marshland, and forest, and support a diversity of vegetation and wildlife.

Bird species range from bald eagles to migratory birds such as warblers and swallows. While much of the vegetation at Harmony Hall is native to the region, several non-native southern species were introduced by Collins in the early 20th century, including bald cypress and loblolly pine.

A variety of animals and birds live on the Harmony Hall site and within adjacent wetlands. Certain species are native to the United States, but rare in the Mid- Atlantic region, such as spotted turtles (NPS 2016).

Vines have been observed along portions of historic fence lines. Several patches of bramble have been observed along historic fence lines, the ha-ha, and certain patches of trees. Woody vegetation has encroached upon the historically open character of the west pasture. Successional growth has begun across the west pasture. Saplings, including Eastern Red Cedars, are dotted across the west pasture.

Invasive species, such as vinca minor, are increasingly appearing on the grounds of Harmony Hall. The trail and terrace system is currently inundated with vinca.

While this is a remnant historic planting, it is out competing native plant species (NPS 2018).

Water Resources Harmony Hall is vulnerable to sea level rise, erosion, and flooding because of the site’s location at the confluence of Broad Creek and the Potomac River, and the tidal nature of the Potomac River, Broad Creek, and Slash Creek. Sections of the Broad Creek and Slash Creek shorelines exhibit signs of erosion. The Want Water Canal also shows indications of erosion (NPS 2016, 2018).

Wetlands, including riverine, freshwater emergent, and freshwater forested/shrub wetlands, are present along Harmony Hall’s shorelines. Approximately 25 percent (or 16 acres) of Harmony Hall is classified as wetlands according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wetlands Inventory (USFWS 2019).

The western half of Harmony Hall also lies within the 100-year floodplain. Approximately 56 percent (or 37 acres) and 8 percent (or 5 acres) of the site lies within the 100-year and 500-year floodplains, respectively (Figure 21) (FEMA 2020).

Litter/Vandalism Harmony Hall has experienced less litter and less vandalism compared to more widely known NPS sites due to its lack of visibility from Livingston Road.

Increasing the park’s visibility and the public’s access to the park could change the presence of litter and the occurrence of vandalism at Harmony Hall.

Current Conditions 25

Figure 21 Existing Floodplains, Wetlands, and Topography

West Pasture and Harmony Hall House (2020)

27 Concept Plan Recommendations

Harmony Hall is re-envisioned as a natural park where improved public access to the site offers exciting opportunities to:

• Experience and connect with nature through varied habitats (woods, meadow, riparian, etc.)

• See and learn about the past, specifically local Prince George’s County’s history

• Enjoy open space and water access

• Adaptively reuse an historic building in a manner that is compatible with the site’s history

The Concept Plan considers the park’s existing natural and cultural resources. The Concept Plan would be sensitive to Harmony Hall’s natural and cultural resources, which include archeological resources.

Therefore, no new buildings would be constructed.

New facilities, such as trails or water access points, would be carefully situated and designed to avoid sensitive habitats, large tree removal, and archeological resources, as well as protect other resources identified in the future though the NEPA and NHPA processes as necessary.

The NPS is committed to telling a complete history of the Harmony Hall site. The Harmony Hall site represents a complex history that is associated with Native American occupation, enslaved people, and the civil rights movement. The social and physical history of the site has informed the direction, recommendations, and potential uses considered appropriate for the site presented in this Concept Plan.

The Concept Plan balances increased access against the carrying capacity of the park’s facilities, infrastructure, and fiscal capacities, and provides recommendations to minimize the impacts to cultural and natural resources.

Overall, the Concept Plan:

• Supports interpretation and management of historic resources through the rehabilitation of Harmony Hall house and stabilization of Want Water

• Presents short- and long-term options for the Harmony Hall house rehabilitation through a phased approach

• Provides support space and public facility options, which introduce NPS partnership opportunities

• Repurposes existing open space for programs, educational events, or informal recreation

• Expands the trail system, parking, and signage

• Manages recreation and events to avoid use conflicts with Harmony Hall’s historic context

The first section in this chapter describes activity opportunities the Concept Plan would offer to visitors, followed by developed features and actions that would enable these activities. These new facilities and actions provide a base concept for the entire Harmony Hall site.

The second section in this chapter describes options for the area near the Harmony Hall house, former stable, and bungalow.

Examples of organized activities and events identified in the concepts do not represent an exhaustive list, but rather identify the types of activities and events possible in select areas of the park. Activities and events would comply with all applicable NPS policies, laws, and regulations. It should also be noted that in accordance with NPS Management Policies 2006, “[a] ny facility development, whether a new building, a renovation, or an adaptive reuse of an existing facility, would include improvements in energy efficiency and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for both the building envelope and the mechanical systems that support the facility” (NPS 2006: 126).

The Concept Plan does not intend to restore the Harmony Hall house or reconstruct Want Water to their historic condition, have the Harmony Hall house serve as a museum, or provide event space for weddings and parties. The NPS is not pursuing full restoration of the Harmony Hall house or having the house serve as a museum because the NPS has limited management capacity and the colonial time period is well-represented at other locations in the region (e.g., George Washington’s Mount Vernon and Estates and National Colonial Farm). The NPS supports rehabilitation of the Harmony Hall house to the point of accommodating offices associated with a partner or NPS functions in the building. The NPS will not rehabilitate the Harmony Hall house for park housing.

III. CONCEPT PLAN

RECOMMENDATIONS

28 Harmony Hall Development Concept Plan

As part of a preservation approach, the ruins of Want Water would be stabilized to prevent further deterioration. Stabilization/reinforcement of the remaining structure is the priority. The reconstruction of the Want Water ruins was not considered because reconstruction would be inconsistent with NPS management policies for cultural resources.

According to the NPS Management Policies (2006), “[t]he preservation of cultural resources in their existing states will always receive first consideration.

Treatments entailing greater intervention will not proceed…