Stephanie S. Foell, Senior Architectural and Landscape Historian with WSP, died unexpectedly on May 6, 2021 at her home in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. A longtime resident of Catonsville, Maryland, Stephanie had recently moved to North Carolina.
Stephanie was a well-known architectural and landscape historian in the mid-Atlantic, whose work locally and nationally has had a lasting impact in the field. She received a dual BS degree from Towson University in History and Psychology (1992) and a Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation from the University of Georgia, Athens (1996). Stephanie fell in love with Athens during her graduate school years and she maintained many friendships with MHP alumni and professors. She was especially interested in Athens architect Fred J. Orr and in 2008 she curated an exhibit on his work.
Stephanie’s 27 years of professional work included an internship with the Carroll County Farm Museum and consulting work with Robinson & Associates and A.D. Marble. For the last 13 years, she was employed by WSP (formerly Parsons Brinckerhoff), where she was a principal investigator and project manager on projects throughout the United States.
Stephanie’s architectural and landscape history expertise resulted in work with nationwide impact in the field. This included interpretive work such as preparation of an historic property brochure for the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and a nationwide style guide for the Department of the Navy. Stephanie also developed a groundbreaking nationwide historic context and cultural resources management book for the GSA. This publication received the prestigious National Preservation Honor award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2008. Her work at WSP also extended nationally as she worked with their team on multiple transportation projects across the country including in Baltimore, Maryland, Los Angeles, California, Coronado California, Dallas, Texas, Detroit, Michigan, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Honolulu, Hawaii.
Stephanie’s interest in historic landscapes can be seen in her work on nationally significant sites such as the Statue of Liberty, for which she prepared an amendment to the National Register nomination that included detailed and complex assessment of the landscape integrity and significance. Stephanie also documented the historic landscape of the Washington Monument for the National Park Service. She worked with the Arlington National Cemetery, U.S. Army, National Capital Planning Commission and Commission of Fine Arts to develop a context sensitive design for the reinstallation of a historic gate, new guardhouse, and enhanced landscape elements to improve visitor experience at this important site. Stephanie worked with Charles Birnbaum on a number of publications and lectures he organized at the National Park Service and later The Cultural Landscape Foundation. This included seminars the two taught for the National Preservation Institute as well as numerous presentations on historic landscapes at professional meetings. Her work with Birnbaum was first as a contributor to “Pioneers of American Landscape Design,” (McGraw Hill, 2000) with her biographical essay on Nathan Franklin Barrett, and in 2009 she co-edited with Birnbaum the follow-up publication, “Shaping the American Landscape,” (University of Virginia Press.)
In addition to her many professional achievements, Stephanie was also an accomplished knitter, and many of her friends and family were gifted with hand-knit hats, socks, sweaters, and blankets made in cozy yarns in colors specifically selected for the recipient. She made friends with yarn store owners wherever she went and was an enthusiastic supporter of the craft – from understanding sheep breeds to seeking out up-and-coming yarn dyers. Stephanie loved to travel, coming home with amazing stories and wonderful restaurant recommendations – Key West and New Mexico were favorite destinations. She also loved music, making jam (coming up with her own recipes of course!), and making jewelry. She was a lively, funny friend who will be missed by many.