Historic Artists’ Homes & Studios (HAHS), a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, announced 19 new Affiliate Members of HAHS in 2025. This rich coalition of sites hails from six new states for HAHS: Arizona, Kansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Wisconsin, and Vermont in addition to existing states including New York, Texas and Maine. Side of Culture has published several stories on HAHS already, and it is clear that the HAHS program and its network are growing deeper and richer every year. In 2022, Side of Culture reported on HAHS’ seven new sites that highlighted diversity; in 2023, Side of Culture featured HAHS’s first six affiliate sites; and Linda Cabasin has written numerous stories on HAHS sites, including a wonderful article about the Thomas Cole House.
HAHS is a peer-to-peer coalition of sites across the U.S. that brings together museums that conserve the homes and studios of artists. This network of sites leverages the knowledge and experience of individual members to benefit the entire coalition in critical areas, including historic preservation, visitor and community programming, and communications.
“It is an honor to welcome 19 new sites into the HAHS network during this anniversary year,” said HAHS Director Valerie Balint. “This extremely diverse group represents the richness and breadth of place-based art legacy in this country. It has been a pleasure to witness some of these sites evolve from nascent preservation initiatives to spaces of meaningful public engagement and to welcome them into membership alongside other more established sites that are at important moments of new expansion, innovation, and storytelling. All of these new Affiliate sites have much to offer the public audiences they serve, as well as their peers within the existing HAHS coalition. As with each site within HAHS, these inspirational new Affiliates are all worth a pilgrimage to experience.”
The new members include the program’s first two Indigenous sites; the first Asian American legacy site (representing two artists); two new sites representing African American artistic legacies; ten sites including the legacies of women artists; nine sites have vernacular artist-built environments (many by self-taught artists); several sites are opening for the first time in 2024/2025; while several others are opening after years of 1:1 consulting with HAHS; and, finally, one member was on the 2023 National Trust 11-Most Endangered List– L.V. Hull Home and Studio. The new sites follow:
https://www.full.orangeshow.org/beer-can-house Home of Stephen Huneck Gallery, St. Johnsbury, VT | A unique property that combines a landscape decorated with outdoor sculptures, a dog-friendly park, and an art gallery showcasing the whimsical wood carvings and prints of folk artist Stephen Huneck (1948–2010).
The Emile Brunel Studio/Residence and Sculpture Park, Boiceville, NY | The sculpture garden and multi-arts center boasts a collection of concrete sculptures created by pioneering photographer and founder of the New York Institute of Photography, Emile Brunel (1874–1944).
Grandma Prisbrey’s Bottle Village, Simi Valley, CA | A remarkable folk art environment
featuring thirty-five sculptural structures (including 15 bottle houses) built entirely from
discarded materials, with walls crafted from tens of thousands of glass bottles collected
from local dumps. Created over nearly 30 years by self-taught artist Tressa “Grandma”
Prisbrey (1896–1988) starting at age 60, the site showcases incredible architectural
ingenuity and artistic vision.
The Jacobson House, Norman, OK | The Native art center served as both residence and
artistic sanctuary for Oscar Jacobson (1882–1966), the influential director of the
University of Oklahoma School of Art, and the groundbreaking Kiowa Six, indigenous
artists who had studio space in this home.
Shigeko Kubota Video Art Foundation, New York, NY | The foundation, located in a
historic SoHo loft, preserves the living and working space of pioneering video artists
Shigeko Kubota (1937–2015) and Nam June Paik (1932–2006), who occupied the
space from the 1970s until 2015.
Langlais Art Preserve, Cushing, ME | The art preserve offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore over a dozen large-scale wooden sculptures created by artist Bernard Langlais (1921–1977) along an accessible quarter-mile path winding through meadows and woodlands overlooking the St. George River.
Lelooska Foundation & Cultural Center, Ariel, WA | Visitors to the Lelooska Foundation receive a rare opportunity to experience the original home and workshop of Chief Lelooska (1962–1996), which has been carefully preserved to maintain its historic character. The site hosts many programs and exhibitions.
S.P. Dinsmoor’s Cabin Home and Garden of Eden, Lucas, KS | S.P. Dinsmoor (1843–
1932) created the sprawling sculpture garden, featuring a three-story limestone “log
cabin” that he built as both a home and an artistic statement about Populist politics.
Reuben Hale House, West Palm Beach, FL | The house and sculpture garden offer visitors
an intimate look into the life and work of distinguished artist and educator Reuben Hale
(1927–2018), showcasing his diverse artistic legacy through sculptures, paintings,
drawings, holograms, and photographs displayed throughout the 1925 Mediterranean
Revival home where he lived and worked for nearly 50 years.
The Beer Can House, Houston, TX | The Beer Can House is a significant folk art environment created by John Milkovisch (1912–1988), who transformed his ordinary home into an architectural wonder by covering it with thousands of aluminum beer cans, tabs, and tops arranged into shimmering curtains, mobiles, and wind chimes.
Louise Bourgeois Home/The Easton Foundation, New York, NY | The Easton Foundation, housed in two historic Chelsea townhouses in Manhattan, preserves the former home and studio of renowned sculptor Louise Bourgeois (1911–2010). Access is limited to pre-scheduled group tours, most of which are arranged through cultural and educational institutions.
Carolee Schneemann Foundation, New Paltz, NY | The Foundation, housed in a historic
1750s residence, preserves the home and studio where pioneering artist Carolee
Schneemann (1939–2019) lived and worked from 1965 until her death, including her
extensive personal library, archives, and artistic interventions embedded throughout the structure.
L.V. Hull Home & Studio, Kosciusko, MS | The site represents a remarkable fusion of
home and artistic canvas, where self-taught artist L.V. Hull (1942–2008) transformed
every surface into an evolving art environment through vibrantly painted found objects,
creative assemblages, and carefully curated collections of cherished items.
Spiral House Park, Saugerties, NY | In its first year of public operation, Spiral House Park is set on 45 acres of transformed bluestone quarry in the Catskills, featuring a stunning five-story spiral house and more than 40 large-scale sculptures made of hand-cut bluestone, crystal glass, and stainless steel, all created by artist Tom Gottsleben (1950– 2019).
Mary Nohl Art Environment, Fox Point, WI | A notable artist-created home where Mary
Nohl (1914–2001) transformed every aspect of the property, from the house itself to the
59 concrete sculptures dotting the landscape, into a comprehensive work of art. Access is limited to pre-scheduled group tours arranged through the John Michael Kohler Arts Center.
Olive Rush Studio & Art Center, Santa Fe, NM | The Art Center preserves the historic
home, studio, and garden of pioneering artist Olive Rush (1873–1966), who transformed
this 100-year-old adobe house into a vibrant artistic and social hub where she painted
each day, hosted fellow artists, and mentored Native American painters.
Pope’s Museum, Ochlocknee, GA | Pope’s Museum is the oldest surviving artist-built
environment created by a woman in the United States. It was the home of Laura Pope
Forester (1873–1953), who is one of the few documented female artists in the early 20th
century to create such an extensive outdoor art installation.
Prophet Isaiah Robertson’s Second Coming House, Niagara Falls, NY | Striking art
environment created by Prophet Isaiah Robertson (1947–2020), a self-taught artist who
transformed his home into an immersive religious artwork, featuring a dramatic 25-foot
painted cross and intricate religious imagery crafted from wood, paint, and beadwork
both inside and outside the property.
The information in this article and the photos are courtesy of the Historic Artists’ Homes & Studios, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Featured Photo: Valley of the Moon, Tucson, AZ | A garden landscape created by visionary artist George Phar Legler (1885–1982) as an immersive fantasyland designed to promote kindness and tolerance through magical experiences.
