For a fuller list of projects, please refer to my curriculum vitae. Here I offer a representative sample of my recent work.

Maryland LGBTQ Site Documentation

In 2019-2020, I partnered with Preservation Maryland and the Maryland Historical Trust to create a statewide historic context study of Maryland LGBTQ history. A historic context study is a document used in historic preservation, to assist preservation professionals and commissions in evaluating the historic significance of a particular site. This study is now completed, and we have moved on to a second phase of the project.

In this phaset, I am doing further work to research and document five Maryland LGBTQ historic sites. Specifically, I am now preparing nominations to the National Register of Historic Places for three properties in Baltimore and Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties forms for two properties in Montgomery County, Maryland, which encompasses many of the Washington DC suburbs. These properties are:

Barring further complications from the Covid-19 lockdowns, we are hoping to complete this documentation by the end of 2021.

Historic Resource Study of Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site

Image of the statue of Eleanor Roosevelt that is part of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt National Memorial.
Eleanor Roosevelt, as depicted at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, DC

The National Park Service has engaged me for a multi-year research project considering Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) within the context of her time. Specific areas of research will include:

The research will result in a document known within the park service as a Historic Resource Study, which will assist staff at Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site in developing history programming for visitors.

The final study is due out in 2022.

National Historic Landmark Nominations Related to Women’s History

National Historic Landmarks (NHLs) are historic sites that hold exceptional significance in understanding the varied aspects of the nation’s past. As part of its ongoing efforts to ensure that National Landmark designations reflect the full range of historical experience, the National Park Service has hired me to prepare NHL nominations for three sites that are significant to U.S. Women’s history. The sites are:

Golden Gate National Recreation Area Research Prospectus

Image of a watch tower at Alcatraz, with the San Francisco Bay in the background.
Watch tower at Alcatraz

Golden Gate National Recreation Area includes many well-known natural and cultural sites in the San Francisco Bay Area, such as Alcatraz, the Presidio, Marin Headlands, Cliff House, and Muir Woods. The site is rich in history, but with so many moving parts, it can be challenging to keep track of all the stories to be told. So, the park’s partner organization, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, has hired me to conduct a comprehensive review of historical research that has already been conducted on park resources and determine what gaps remain in our historical understanding. I will then consult with park staff to determine the highest priority research areas and develop a project plan for further investigating these topics.

The research plan is due to be completed in 2023.

Administrative History of Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park

Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park was created in 1992 to tell the story of the development of aviation and the role played by Dayton, Ohio, home of the Wright Brothers and subsequent aviation innovators.

In cooperation with the park, I am currently preparing the site’s first administrative history, documenting the establishment of the park and its management over its first twenty-five years.

As part of this project, I will be considering the role the park played in the economic development and urban renewal of Dayton, as well as exploring the ways that Dayton Aviation Heritage park provides lessons for other national parks.

The final version of the administrative history is due to be completed in late 2022.