Heritage Documentation Programs
Heritage Documentation Programs administers
the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), the Federal
Government's oldest preservation program, and its companion
programs: the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) and Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS). Documentation
produced through the programs constitutes the nation's
largest archive of historic architectural, engineering,
and landscape documentation. The HABS/HAER/HALS Collection is housed at the Library of Congress.
Latest News
- Leicester B. Holland Prize WinnersWe are pleased to announce the winner and honorable mention for the 2018 Leicester B. Holland Prize for the best single-sheet measured drawing.Learn more...
- Apply for the 2019 Sally Kress Tompkins FellowshipThe application period for the 2019 Sally Kress Tompkins Fellowship for architectural history is now open. Applications are due December 31, 2018.Learn more...
- Charles E. Peterson Prize WinnersWe are pleased to announce the winners of the 2018 Charles E. Peterson Prize for measured drawings.Learn more...
- New Point Cloud Animation: Tortugas Harbor LightIn August 2017, HABS architects Paul Davidson and Daniel De Sousa documented this historic lighthouse at Fort Jefferson (Dry Tortugas National Park) using 3-D high-definition terrestrial laser scanning.See the video and learn more about the project on Facebook.
- New Time-Lapse Video: High-Definition Laser ScanningHere's a day's worth of work in 30 seconds. HAER architects Dana Lockett and Thomas Behrens recently scanned the fifteen-millionth Ford Model T on behalf of the Historic Vehicle Association. See the video and learn more about the project on Facebook.
- New Story Map: Hurricanes Irma and MariaMany historic places were damaged or threatened by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. This project by CRGIS looks at what happened to a selection of sites previously surveyed by HABS/HAER/HALS.Learn more...
- New Virtual Tour & Fly-Through: Miller Field Seaplane HangarMiller Field was the only aerial coast defense station established on the East Coast, and the seaplane hangar, built in 1919 with additions in 1939, played a significant role in the operations of the field.Learn more...
- New Fly-Throughs: Fort TildenFort Tilden was established in 1917 as part of a network of coastal fortifications in the New York City area and New Jersey established to protect the New York Harbor, and was staffed by the Coast Artillery Corps.Learn more...
- New 3-D Models: Soldiers' National MonumentThe Soldiers' National Monument honors the fallen soldiers of the Battle of Gettysburg. It stands a short distance on the other side of the iron fence from where President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address.Learn more...
- We've MovedOur Washington, DC, office moved to a different building in April 2017. Please note our new shipping address and new shipping restrictions. Our phone numbers remain the same.Learn more...
- Virtual Tour: Ellis Island The Historic American Buildings Survey is working on a multiyear project to document Ellis Island. Take a virtual tour of areas on Ellis Island that aren't open to the public. Learn more...
- National Covered Bridges Recording ProjectThe Historic American Engineering Record and the Federal Highway Administration maintain a joint research and technology program for historic covered bridges.Learn more...
- HABS Guide to Field DocumentationThis Field Guide offers step-by-step instructions about how to observe, take field measurements, and create field notes and a short-form report about a historic site or structure to HABS standards. Learn more...
- Producing HABS/HAER/HALS Measured Drawings from Laser ScansThe pros and cons of using laser scanning for heritage documentation.Learn More...