Last night, the King County Landmarks Commission unanimously voted to make Herbert Bayer’s Earthworks the very first historic landmark in the City of Kent. In nearly two hours of presentation and testimony, the commission heard from a cadre of landscape architects, artists, arts commissioners, councilmembers, preservation commissioners and architectural historians. At the end of it, the commission quickly approved the legislation to make the Earthworks a landmark.
The fact that everyone in attendance and everyone on the Commission all spoke about their unequivocal support for granting landmark status, speaks volumes for the power of this place. In fact, landmark designation was a bit of a coup given that the work had to be deemed “exceptional” because it had not yet passed the 40 year threshold that is typically required for landmark status. King County Landmark Preservation Board’s Historic Preservation Officer Julie Koler noted that it was only the second review of a property for “exceptional” significance that she recalled. She also noted that to have the first City of Kent landmark also be one of the very first designated as exceptional was a very special accomplishment.
With some of the civic leaders who make the Earthworks possible in attendance, including past Mayor Isabel Hogan, the hearing was also quite emotional. Many had learned about the site as students or had lived close by and used it as their neighborhood park, but universally they were connected to the power of that place. It was an evocative reminder that what I get to do daily, as a landscape architect, really does profoundly influence people.
As soon as the nomination is posted online, I’ll link to it.
