From the HABS/HAER/HALS Collection: Watercolor Drawings (U.S. National Park Service)

The HABS/HAER/HALS Collection includes documentation of many unique places. In this gallery, we feature collection items that are unique because of their medium. Watercolor has never been a typical medium for creating HABS/HAER/HALS measured drawings. As of 2023, the collection has more than 70,000 measured drawings but only 20 use watercolor. Most of the watercolor drawings are from the 1930s.

Four of the watercolor drawings are highlighted here. Check out the photo gallery to see the complete group. Use the links at the bottom of the page to see all of the surveys on the Library of Congress's website.

Visit the Heritage Documentation Programs (HDP) website to learn about how HABS, HAER, and HALS record and preserve American history.

1930s watercolor drawing of a wall in the sanctuary of San José de Tumacácori Mission — San José de Tumacácori Mission (HABS AZ-3)
NPS / HABS / Frederick D. Nichols (ca. 1937)

The west wall of the sanctuary of San José de Tumacácori Mission, already in disrepair at the time of the survey, is depicted in this watercolor by Frederick D. Nichols.

Sheet 33 from HABS AZ-3

Watercolor drawing showing various pottery shards — Jonathan Hager House (HABS MD-39)
NPS / HABS / Henry Chandlee Forman (1953)

This illustration depicts the small items such as ceramic plate fragments, marbles and pieces of porcelain doll, discovered around the remaining foundation of the Jonathan Hager House in Maryland. It was painted in 1953 by Henry Chandlee Forman on behalf of the Washington County Historical Society.

Sheet 5 of HABS MD-39