Detroit Sound Conservancy Reconnaissance Survey

National Park Service

Interior Regions 3, 4, 5

Detroit Sound Conservancy

Reconnaissance Survey

Detroit, Michigan

December 2019

PREPARERS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The following National Park Service staff prepared this reconnaissance survey:

Tokey Boswell, Chief of Planning and Compliance, Interior Regions 3, 4, 5

Natalie Franz, Planner, Interior Regions 3, 4, 5

Gretchen Harrison, Intern, Interior Regions 3, 4, 5

National Park Service advisor to the team:

Dena Sanford, Architectural Historian and NHL Coordinator, Interior Regions 3, 4, 5

This study has been prepared to explore specific resources and advise on whether these resources merit

further consideration as a potential addition as an affiliated area of the National Park Service. Publication and

transmittal of this report should not be considered an endorsement or a commitment by the National Park

Service to seek or support legislative authorization for the project or its implementation. This report was

prepared by the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Interior Regions 3, 4, 5. For

more information, contact:

Tokey Boswell

National Park Service

601 Riverfront Drive

Omaha, NE 68102-4226

(402) 661-1534

    3 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
PREPARERS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................. 2 
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................................. 3 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................................................... 5 
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 
BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................................... 6 
OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE OF STUDY ................................................................................................................... 6 
ABOUT AFFILIATED AREAS ................................................................................................................................ 6 
HISTORIC CONTEXT AND DESCRIPTION OF STUDY AREAS ..................................................................................... 8 
HISTORIC CONTEXT ........................................................................................................................................... 8 
BLUE BIRD INN ................................................................................................................................................. 8 
UNITED SOUND SYSTEMS RECORDING STUDIOS ...................................................................................................... 9 
DESCRIPTION OF STUDY AREAS ...................................................................................................................... 11 
BLUE BIRD INN ............................................................................................................................................... 11 
UNITED SOUND SYSTEMS RECORDING STUDIOS .................................................................................................... 11 
PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF RESOURCE SIGNIFICANCE ................................................................................. 12 
INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................................... 12 
EVALUATION OF RESOURCE SIGNIFICANCE .................................................................................................... 12 
THE BLUE BIRD INN ......................................................................................................................................... 12 
UNITED SOUND SYSTEMS RECORDING STUDIOS .................................................................................................... 13 
NEED FOR FURTHER CONTEXT ........................................................................................................................ 14 
PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF RESOURCE SUITABILITY ..................................................................................... 15 
INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................................... 15 
DESCRIPTION OF COMPARABLE SITES ............................................................................................................ 15 
NEW ORLEANS JAZZ NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK ................................................................................................. 15 
MUTUAL MUSICIANS’ FOUNDATION BUILDING ..................................................................................................... 15 
RYMAN AUDITORIUM....................................................................................................................................... 15 
BEALE STREET NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK DISTRICT ....................................................................................... 16 
HITSVILLE USA/MOTOWN MUSEUM ................................................................................................................. 16 
SUN RECORD COMPANY STUDIO ........................................................................................................................ 16 
MUSCLE SHOALS SOUND STUDIO AND FAME STUDIO ........................................................................................... 16 
PRELIMINARY CONCLUSION FOR RESOURCE SUITABILITY .............................................................................. 17 
ASSESSING THE NEED FOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION ......................................................................................... 19 

4   
PRELIMINARY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................... 20 
THE BLUE BIRD INN ......................................................................................................................................... 20 
UNITED SOUND SYSTEMS RECORDING STUDIOS .................................................................................................... 20 
NEED FOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION .............................................................................................................. 20 
CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................................................. 20 
SELECTED REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................................... 22 
APPENDIXES ........................................................................................................................................................ 24 
APPENDIX A: REPRESENTATIVE LAWRENCE RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY REQUEST LETTER .................................................. 24 
APPENDIX B: NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MANAGEMENT POLICIES 2006 § 1.3 ................................................................ 26 
APPENDIX C: EXCERPT FROM REPORT ON CRITERIA FOR AFFILIATED AREAS .................................................................... 29 
APPENDIX D: 36 CFR § 65.4: NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK CRITERIA ..................................................................... 31 
ENDNOTES .......................................................................................................................................................... 33 
 
   

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In November 2018, US Representative Brenda

Lawrence requested that the National Park

Service (NPS) conduct a reconnaissance survey

of the Detroit Sound Conservancy (DSC) to

determine the possibility of designating the

organization as an affiliated area of the NPS.

The Detroit Sound Conservancy is a nonprofit

organization that honors, preserves, and

educates the public about Detroit’s rich musical

heritage. Given that the National Park Service is

a place-based agency and affiliated areas are

physical places and resources, this study cannot

consider the Detroit Sound Conservancy as an

organization in itself. In order to fulfill the

request from Representative Lawrence, this

reconnaissance survey will provide a

preliminary evaluation of two sites associated

with the DSC, the Blue Bird Inn and United

Sound Systems Recording Studios (United

Sound), to determine whether they might

qualify for affiliated area status.

The Blue Bird Inn and United Sound Systems

Recording Studios are pieces of the Detroit

musical legacy with stories that are celebrated

and preserved by the DSC. The Blue Bird Inn

was one of the most popular jazz clubs in

Detroit from the 1940s through the 1960s.

United Sound was one of the city’s first major

independent recording studios, recording

nationally known musicians from the late 1940s

through the 1980s. The Blue Bird Inn has never

been assessed for inclusion in the National

National Historic Landmark. The Blue Bird Inn

and its stage are owned by the DSC. United

Sound was determined eligible for the National

Michigan State Historic Preservation Office’s

determination did not indicate whether it

would be eligible at the local, state, or national

level. The building is owned by the Michigan

Department of Transportation (MDOT), but has

been included in this reconnaissance survey due

to the level of assistance and support that the

DSC has provided United Sound with over the

years and MDOT’s intent to sell the property

following its relocation to accommodate

highway improvements.

Since there is a unit of the national park system

(New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park)

dedicated to the origins and evolution of jazz,

and several National Historic Landmarks that

are significant for their contributions to popular

music history that are preserved and

interpreted for public enjoyment, the Blue Bird

Inn and United Sound are unlikely to be found

suitable for inclusion as affiliated areas of NPS.

There does not appear to be a need for the

special recognition or technical assistance

beyond existing NPS programs that affiliated

area status would provide to the Blue Bird Inn

or United Sound at this time.

The DSC was initially established in 2012 and is

still forming relationships and partnerships to

support its mission. Given the lack of

documentation for the Blue Bird Inn and United

Sound Systems Recording Studios, no further

study considering affiliated area status or any

other NPS designation is recommended at this

time. The DSC is encouraged to continue

building partnerships for the revitalization of

these structures and work with the Michigan

State Historic Preservation Office to nominate

them for listing in the National Register of

Historic Places.

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND

In November 2018, US Representative Brenda

Lawrence of Michigan’s 14

District sent a

letter to acting National Park Service (NPS)

director P. Daniel Smith requesting that the NPS

conduct a reconnaissance survey to determine

the possibility and appropriateness of

designating the Detroit Sound Conservancy in

Detroit, Michigan, as an affiliated area of the

NPS (appendix A).

OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE OF STUDY

Reconnaissance surveys are preliminary

resource assessments that evaluate the national

significance of historic resources as well as the

suitability and feasibility of including those

resources in the national park system, in this

case, as an affiliated area. Evaluations are based

on congressionally established criteria for

inclusion outlined in NPS Management Policies

2006 (appendix B). Conclusions provided in

reconnaissance surveys are not considered final

or definitive, they assist in determining whether

further study for potential inclusion is

warranted.

The National Park Service is a place-based

federal agency whose mission is to preserve

natural and cultural resources for the

enjoyment, education, and inspiration of the

public. The Detroit Sound Conservancy (DSC) is

a nonprofit organization that honors, preserves,

and educates the public about Detroit’s rich

musical heritage. The National Park Service

cannot study an organization itself for NPS

affiliated area status – studies must by of

physical study areas and their resources. In

order to fulfill the request from Rep. Lawrence,

the National Park Service will examine two sites

associated with the DSC— the Blue Bird Inn and

United Sound Systems Recording Studios— to

determine the possibility of designating those

sites as affiliated areas of the national park

system.

The Blue Bird Inn was one of the most popular

jazz clubs in Detroit from the 1940s through the

1960s. It is owned by the DSC and is not open to

the public at this time. United Sound was one of

the city’s first major independent recording

studios, recording nationally known musicians

from the late 1940s through the 1980s. The DSC

is an advocate for its preservation and was

recently a lessee. It is now owned by the

Michigan Department of Transportation

(MDOT) and is not open to the public or in use

as a studio at this time.

ABOUT AFFILIATED AREAS

Affiliated areas are owned and operated by

nonfederal organizations that maintain a formal

relationship with the National Park Service.

Through this partnership, affiliates gain access

to technical resources, historic preservation

expertise, and branded graphics from the

National Park Service. By designating an area an

affiliate the area’s importance to the nation is

recognized without requiring or implying

management by the National Park Service.

In order to be eligible for affiliated area status,

a resource must:

• meet the standards for significance and

suitability that apply to units of the national

park system;

• require some special recognition or

technical assistance beyond what is

available through existing NPS programs;

• be managed in accordance with the policies

and standards that apply to units of the

national park system; and

• be assured of sustained resource

protection, as documented in a formal

agreement between the National Park

Service and the nonfederal management

entity (appendix B).

Nonfederal entities who manage affiliated areas

are required to maintain a cooperative

relationship with the National Park Service.

Through their partnership, affiliates have an

opportunity to receive technical and financial

assistance from the National Park Service.

Affiliated areas allow a nationally significant site

to be properly recognized without requiring full

National Park Service management.

Sites considered for affiliated area status are

evaluated by applying the national significance

and suitability criteria for inclusion used to

evaluate potential national park units found in

NPS Management Policies 2006 (appendix B).

In order to be considered eligible for inclusion

as an affiliated area, a site must meet the

criteria for national significance. According to

NPS Management Policies 2006, national

significance for cultural resources is evaluated

by applying the criteria for National Historic

Landmarks (appendix D).

To be consider suitable, a site must contain a

resource type that is not sufficiently

represented in the national park system or

adequately protected by other public or private

entities. Potential for public enjoyment is also

taken into consideration when evaluating the

suitability of a site. The preferred forms of

public enjoyment are found at sites that foster

an understanding of and appreciation for

historic resources, or sites that promote

enjoyment through a direct relation,

association, or interaction with historic

resources.

HISTORIC CONTEXT AND DESCRIPTION OF STUDY AREAS

HISTORIC CONTEXT

The vision of the Detroit Sound Conservancy, as

stated on their website, is to “enhance

Detroiters’ quality of life through preservation,

education, performance, and placekeeping in

The Detroit Sound Center at The Legendary Blue

Bird Inn”.

The organization has several goals

that are aimed at expanding the appreciation of

and support for Detroit’s musical scene and

history.

Music is an essential character in the history of

Detroit. From bebop jazz, which enhanced the

credibility of African American expressive

culture, to techno, an innovative musical

movement with roots in the city, Detroit has

made substantial contributions to music

history.

Rapid social and economic change has largely

shaped the city’s musical outputs and in turn,

the city’s music has helped effect

socioeconomic change. With three of the

largest US automakers headquartered in the

city, much of Detroit’s early music was inspired

by urbanization and industrialization.

Neighborhoods were constantly rearranged to

accommodate growth, and those who moved to

the city brought with them a diverse array of

musical backgrounds, making Detroit a hub for

musical collaboration and experimentation.

Blue Bird Inn

Jazz noticeably emerged at the turn of the

twentieth century in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The genre is often regarded as a uniquely

American style of music marked with

innovation, experimentation, and controversy.

iii

Stylistic variations and subgenres of jazz have

emerged over the years due to its experimental

nature and international popularity.

Jazz has a multitude of influences from African

American folk styles such as blues and ragtime,

to European ensemble bands.

Big band jazz, a

style dating to the 1920s and 1930s which

combined blues and ensemble traditions into a

lively, danceable music form, was one of the

first styles of jazz to thrive in Detroit.

The

unparalleled success of the automobile industry

in the 1920s boosted the city’s economy and

increased the demand for recreational facilities

such as ballrooms. As a result, big band jazz

groups gained popularity and became a vital

part of Detroit’s musical scene.

Exterior of the Blue Bird Inn in 2019 (credit: Crain's

Business Detroit)

Bebop was an outgrowth of big band jazz which

emerged during the mid-1940s.

The style was

more complex in rhythm, melody, and harmony

than big band jazz and was more appealing to

listeners than dancers. Bebop, like all forms of

jazz, had place-based variations. The style first

emerged in New York though cities like Chicago,

Kansas City, and Detroit had large networks of

bebop musicians who were influenced by a

unique social context.

From the 1940s to the 1960s, the Blue Bird Inn

was the center of bebop activity in Detroit.

vii

The Blue Bird Inn first opened around 1938 as

an African American-owned neighborhood bar

on the city’s west side that featured live

music.

viii

As Detroit boomed during the 1940s,

racial barriers began to break down. The big

band venues of the 1920s and 1930s were

usually segregated with black musicians playing

for both black and white audiences, while the

bebop clubs of the 1940s and 1950s often had

integrated audiences.

While the Blue Bird Inn featured jazz acts

throughout the 1940s, in 1948 the club’s

management decided to specialize in the

presentation of bebop jazz. Charlie Parker, the

originator of bebop, played at the Blue Bird Inn

within a year of its transition.

Miles Davis,

another popular jazz musician, performed there

in the 1950s.

Jazz band performing at the Blue Bird Inn in 1948 (credit:

Bob Douglas)

The Blue Bird Inn underwent a major

renovation in 1957, which allowed the club to

accommodate a larger audience.

After the

renovation, more national jazz acts performed

at the Blue Bird Inn including Art Blakey’s Jazz

Messengers, Jimmy Smith’s trio, Horace Silver’s

quintet, and J. J. Johnson.

xii

Clarence Eddins in front of the Blue Bird Inn (credit: James

Richardson)

The Blue Bird Inn started to decline in the 1970s

when west side residents began moving to

other parts of town and jazz became less

popular. In the 1970s, the Blue Bird Inn stopped

hosting live musical acts and operated solely as

a neighborhood bar.

xiii

The Blue Bird Inn was

closed in the early 2000s and has since fallen

into disrepair.

xiv

United Sound Systems Recording Studios

United Sound Systems Recording Studios,

founded in 1933 by an Italian American violinist

named James Siracuse, was one of the first

independent recording studios in Detroit.

United Sound was originally housed in

Siracuse’s home on Cass Avenue and relocated

to its current location at 5840 Second Avenue

around 1940.

The new location was a

residential building that Siracuse and his

brother redesigned to accommodate a

recording studio.

Most of the initial recordings at United Sound

were local advertisement jingles.

xvi

It was not

until the late-1940s that United Sound started

to draw nationally-known artist to its studios. In

1947, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Duke Jordan,

Tommy Potter, and Max Roach recorded several

songs at United Sound for Savoy Records.

xvii

The

following year, John Lee Hooker recorded his hit

record, “Boogie Chillen,” at United Sound’s

studios.

xviii

Exterior of United Sound Systems Recording Studios

(credit: Doug Coombe)

United Sound continued to attract national

talent to its studios throughout the 1950s and

1960s. The founder of Motown Records, Berry

Gordy Jr. began his musical career at United

Sound. Though he was never employed there,

Gordy often shadowed the studio’s operations.

The first single for Motown Records, Marv

Johnson’s “Come to Me,” was recorded at

United Sound.

xix

Gordy eventually established

his own recording studio on West Grand

Boulevard, the iconic, “Hitsville USA.”

George Clinton with engineer Jim Vitti at United Sound

Systems Recording Studios (credit: Detroit Free Press)

The lead producer at Motown Records during

the golden era of the 1960s, Don Davis,

purchased United Sound in 1971.

Davis

modernized the building’s studio space and

updated most of the equipment. The same year

that Davis purchased United Sound, he founded

the only black-owned and operated commercial

bank in the state of Michigan, First

Independence Bank. Well-known artists like

Aretha Franklin and George Clinton recorded at

United Sound during the 1970s and 1980s, but

Davis eventually closed the studios’ doors in the

1990s as the banking business began taking up

more of his time.

United Sound sat vacant for nearly a decade

until 2004 when a local couple, Roger and

Aretha Hood, purchased and reopened the

building on a limited basis until 2008.

DESCRIPTION OF STUDY AREAS

Blue Bird Inn

The Blue Bird Inn is located on Detroit’s west

side at 5021 Tireman Avenue in a small

commercial district within a larger residential

area. The one story commercial building is

3,615 square feet and situated on a parcel of

approximately 0.2 acres. The original

construction date and use of the Blue Bird Inn

building is unknown. The structure likely dates

to the 1920s and is of brick construction. Since

the Blue Bird Inn’s closing in the early 2000s,

the interior has fallen into a state of disrepair.

An archeological group from Wayne State

University’s anthropology department surveyed

the building in 2015. They discovered that the

stage and its backdrop were in relatively good

condition. The following year, the DSC was able

to acquire, remove, and restore the stage, and

showcase it in museums and exhibits around

the world. The DSC purchased the Blue Bird Inn

building in early 2019 and plans to restore it to

a functioning club with museum-like exhibits,

space for the organization, and archives of

Detroit music history. The DSC plans to return

the stage to the Blue Bird Inn in the future.

United Sound Systems Recording Studios

United Sound Systems Recording Studios is

located at 5840 Second Avenue. The building is

7,013 square feet a on a parcel of

approximately 0.5 acres. The building is a

residential structure that was redesigned to

accommodate United Sound’s recording

studios. A large addition was added to the rear

of the building in the 1950s. The property has

undergone several renovations since it first

opened though it has consistently been used as

a recording studio.

The Detroit Sound Conservancy led the process

to create a local historic district for the United

Sound building and surrounding land, including

the adjacent parking lot to the north, in 2015

and helped raise funds for a state historic

marker in 2017. In 2015 and 2016, the DSC

rented space for its first office, vault, and

exhibit area on the first floor of United Sound.

In 2019, the United Sound building, adjacent

parking lot to the north, and

recording/engineering equipment was

purchased by the Michigan Department of

Transportation (MDOT). MDOT is currently

working on a modernization project for

Interstate 94 directly southeast of the United

Sound building. MDOT will move the building to

the adjacent parking lot as part of project

mitigation for the Interstate 94 modernization

project and sell the studio after relocation.

xxi

PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF RESOURCE

SIGNIFICANCE

INTRODUCTION

Affiliated areas of the National Park Service are

required to meet the same criteria for national

significance that apply to units of the national

park system. To be considered nationally

significant, according to NPS Management

Policies § 1.3 (appendix B), a study area should:

• be an outstanding example of a particular

type of resource;

• possess exceptional value or quality in

illustrating or interpreting the natural or

cultural themes of our nation’s heritage;

• have superlative opportunities for public

enjoyment or for scientific study; and

• retain a high degree of integrity as a true,

accurate, and relatively unspoiled example

of a resource.

National significance for cultural resources is

determined by applying the National Historic

Landmark (NHL) criteria (appendix D). National

Historic Landmarks are buildings, sites, districts,

structures, or objects that are considered

nationally significant under at least one of six

criteria. NHLs must retain a high degree of

integrity in location, design, setting, materials,

workmanship, feeling, and association. All NHLs

are also listed on the National Register of

Historic Places (NRHP), a similar program also

administered by the National Park Service

which recognizes historically significant

properties at the local, state, and national level.

EVALUATION OF RESOURCE

SIGNIFICANCE

The Blue Bird Inn

The Blue Bird Inn has never been assessed by

National Park Service professionals or the

Michigan State Historic Preservation Office

(SHPO) to determine whether it could meet

NRHP or NHL criteria. The National Park Service

is unable to speculate about the significance of

the Blue Bird Inn at this time given the lack of

existing documentation. The National Park

Service recommends that the Detroit Sound

Conservancy work with the SHPO to determine

whether the Blue Bird Inn is eligible for

inclusion in the National Register of Historic

Places so that the site may be considered for

designation as an NHL or for inclusion as an NPS

affiliated area.

While the national significance of the Blue Bird

Inn has yet to be determined, it is evident that

the structure’s integrity has been compromised.

The exterior of the building remains fairly

intact: windows and doors have been modified,

but the façade retains most of its historic

character. Conversely, the interior of the

building has fallen into a state of disrepair. The

historic stage was recently removed and

restored by the Detroit Sound Conservancy and

has been featured at several exhibits outside of

its original setting.

Interior of the Blue Bird Inn (credit: Detroit Sound

Conservancy)

United Sound Systems Recording Studios

The SHPO has determined that United Sound

Systems Recording Studios is eligible for the

National Register for its, “association with

events that have made a significant

contribution to the broad pattern of our

history” (criterion A) and for its, “association

with the lives of persons significant in our past”

(criterion B).

xxii

The determination provided by

the SHPO does not define the site’s level of

significance. The United Sound Systems

Recording Studios property was designated a

local historic district by the Detroit City Council

in 2015, confirming the structure’s importance

at the local level. A state historical marker was

installed in front of the building in 2017,

suggesting that the site is at least significant at

the state level.

xxiii

If it is not eligible for NRHP

listing at the national level, United Sound is

unlikely to meet the criteria for national

significance as an NHL, and therefore not

eligible for inclusion as an affiliated area of the

National Park Service.

State historical marker in front of United Sound Systems

Recording Studios (credit: Detroit Sound Conservancy)

The integrity of the United Sound building is

unclear. The building was recently purchased by

MDOT with plans to move it to a nearby lot. The

move will minimally impact the integrity of

United Sound’s location while keeping it within

its designated local historic district. The setting

will be affected by the imminent highway

modernization project which will widen an off-

ramp for Interstate 94 to the current location of

United Sound. Although there is evidence that

the building has undergone several changes

over the years, including extensive upgrades in

the 1970s, there is not enough information

available to determine the building’s historic

conditions and the integrity of its design,

materials, or workmanship. The feeling and

association of the site retains a high level of

integrity as it still contains functioning studio

space.

NEED FOR FURTHER CONTEXT

National Historic Landmarks are typically

identified through theme studies. Theme

studies provide a comparative analysis of

similar properties to assist in identifying sites

that may be eligible for NHL nomination. In

order to determine the national significance of

multiple related properties, theme studies

provide a detailed national historic context.

Further research would be needed to identify

other comparably properties in Detroit and

nationally to support a conclusion of national

significance.

In the Memorandum of Agreement for the

Interstate 94 Modernization project, the SHPO

agreed to develop a thematic study of music-

related sites in Detroit. When complete, that

study will provide much needed insight into the

significance of the Blue Bird Inn, United Sound,

and other sites in Detroit that may be of

interest to the Detroit Sound Conservancy in

the future.

PRELIMINARY CONCLUSION FOR

RESOURCE SIGNIFICANCE

Since the Blue Bird Inn has not been

documented as an NHL or for listing in the

NRHP, further study would be required to

determine whether the building may be

considered nationally significant. The Michigan

State Historic Preservation Office determined

that United Sound is eligible for inclusion in the

NRHP, but the level of significance was not

evaluated.

The National Park Service recommends that the

Detroit Sound Conservancy coordinate with the

Michigan State Historic Preservation Office to

evaluate the potential for including the Blue

Bird Inn in the NRHP and to document and

evaluate the level of significance for United

Sound Systems Recording Studios.

PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF RESOURCE SUITABILITY

INTRODUCTION

A study area is determined to be suitable if it

contains a natural or cultural resource type that

is not adequately represented in the national

park system or comparably protected for public

enjoyment by other federal agencies; tribal,

state, or local governments; or private entities.

Adequacy of representation is determined by

comparing the study area to similarly managed

sites while considering differences or

similarities in the character, quality, quantity, or

combination of resource values. Examining

comparable sites provides insight into whether

the study area would expand, enhance, or

duplicate resource protection or visitor use

opportunities found in areas that are already

managed by NPS or others (appendix B).

DESCRIPTION OF COMPARABLE SITES

New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park

New Orleans, Louisiana, is often considered the

birthplace of jazz with many social and

traditional practices associated with its origins

still recognized in the city to this day. New

Orleans Jazz National Historical Park was

established in 1994 with a mission to preserve

the history and legacy of jazz music and culture

in the city where it originated.

xxiv

Most of the

park unit lies within Louis Armstrong Park,

though the visitor center is approximately six

blocks away. New Orleans Jazz National

Historical Park is managed by the National Park

Service. The park leases Perseverance Hall, a

historic venue, for demonstrations and

educational performances.

Mutual Musicians’ Foundation Building

The Mutual Musicians’ Foundation Building in

Kansas City, Missouri, was essential to the

development of the “Kansas City” style of jazz.

The building was home to the American

Federation of Musicians Local 627 whose

members, including Count Basie and Charlie

Parker, helped create Kansas City jazz.

The building was listed on the National Register

of Historic Places in 1979 for its association with

significant events in American black, social, and

performing arts history.

xxv

The Mutual

Musicians’ Foundation Building was designated

a National Historic Landmark in 1981. It is

privately owned and is open to the public for

jazz late Friday and Saturday nights.

Mutual Musicians Foundation Building (credit: Jason Troy

Masters)

Ryman Auditorium (credit: US Department of State)

Ryman Auditorium

The Union Gospel Tabernacle, or Ryman

Auditorium, in Nashville, Tennessee, was

constructed in the 1890s for the purpose of

holding large-scale revivals indoors. A stage was

added in 1904 when the building transitioned

into a non-religious auditorium. The Ryman

became home to the Grand Ole Opry in 1941, a

musical institution which has played a critical

role in the evolution of American Country

music.

The Ryman Auditorium was listed in the

National Register of Historic Places in 1971 for

its association with religious and performing

arts events that are significant in American

history.

xxvi

The building was later designated a

National Historic Landmark in 2001 for its

association with the Grand Ole Opry. It is

privately owned and is open to the public for

tours and performances.

Beale Street National Historic Landmark

District

Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee, is an

important location in the history of American

Blues music. W. C. Handy was a musician whose

work brought blues music to popular culture.

Handy and his band moved to Memphis in 1909

and regularly performed at clubs on Beale

Street. Beale Street was designated a National

Historic Landmark district in 1966 and is

recognized for its contributions to the national

history of music. Many buildings along Beale

Street remain in use as privately-owned

buildings open to the public, offering musical

performances.

Hitsville USA/Motown Museum

Hitsville USA is a recording studio that was

created in 1959 to house Berry Gordy Jr.’s

“Motown Records.” The building currently

serves as part of the Motown Museum: a

museum dedicated to the history of Motown

Records and its influence on Detroit and the

world. The museum was established in 1972 by

Esther Gordy Edwards, Berry Gordy Jr.’s sister,

and remains in private ownership and open to

the public for tours. The Motown Museum

recently announced that it will construct a

50,000 square foot addition to the Hitsville USA

site. The property has never been studied for

inclusion in the National Register or nominated

as a National Historic Landmark.

Berry Gordy's "Hitsville USA" Recording Studios building

(credit: Ken Lund)

Sun Record Company Studio

A record producer named Sam Phillips opened a

recording studio in 1950 at 706 Union Avenue in

Memphis, Tennessee. Phillips would go on to

create a record label, Sun Records, which

launched the careers of artists like B. B. King,

Joe Hill Louis, and Elvis Presley. The Sun Record

Company is recognized for its contributions to

the creation of Rock n Roll music.

The Sun Record Company Studio was

designated a National Historic Landmark in

2003. The building was found to be significant

for its association with people and events that

contributed to our national history.

xxvii

It is

privately owned and is open to the public for

tours.

Sun Record Company Studio building (credit: David Jones)

Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and FAME Studio

In 1969, four musicians left Florence, Alabama

Music Enterprises (FAME) Studio in Muscle

Shoals, Alabama and created a new recording

space in Sheffield, Alabama at 3614 Jackson

Highway. The new studio, Muscle Shoals Sound

Studio, attracted artists like the Rolling Stones,

Aretha Franklin, and Paul Simon. The recording

studio was moved to a larger facility in 1979,

and the Jackson Highway building has been

restored.

Muscle Shoals Sound Studio building (credit: George F.

Landegger Collection of Alabama Photographs in Carol M.

Highsmith's America, Library of Congress, Prints and

Photographs Division)

Fame Recording Studios (credit: NPS)

The Muscle Shoals Sound Studio building on

Jackson Highway was listed in the National

national level for its contributions to American

music history. FAME Studio was also listed in

the National Register in 2016 at the national

level for its contributions to music history and

for its associations with important figures in our

nation’s past.

xxviii

Both Muscle Shoals Sound

Studio and FAME Studio are privately owned

and open to the public for tours.

PRELIMINARY CONCLUSION FOR

RESOURCE SUITABILITY

As described above, a determination of

suitability is made by comparing similar

resources comparably protected for public

enjoyment by NPS, other federal agencies, or

other entities. The preliminary inventory of

comparable sites provides the basis for

evaluation in this reconnaissance survey. There

may be additional comparable sites that are not

identified in this preliminary study.

The Blue Bird Inn can be compared to

performance venues for jazz and other forms of

popular music in the mid to late 20

century.

Performance venues Perseverance Hall at New

Orleans Jazz National Historical Park and the

privately owned and operated Mutual

Musicians’ Foundation building and Ryman

Auditorium offer visitors both historic

interpretation and the opportunity to take in

live performances. Venues along Beale Street

also offer performances in a nationally

recognized historic setting.

United Sound Systems Recording Studios can be

compared to “Hitsville USA” in Detroit, the Sun

Record Company Studio in Memphis, and

Muscle Shoals and FAME studios in

northwestern Alabama, privately-owned

current and former recording studios that offer

public tours. The Sun Record Company, Muscle

Shoals, and FAME studios are recognized for

their national importance.

Based on a preliminary evaluation of

comparable sites, it is unlikely that the Blue Bird

Inn and United Sound Systems Recording

Studios would be found suitable for inclusion as

affiliated areas of the National Park Service at

this time. Many comparable sites are

recognized as NHLs and are well-maintained by

nonfederal management entities, and the

National Park Service already protects resources

related to the history and origins of jazz at New

Orleans Jazz National Historical Park.

ASSESSING THE NEED FOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION

Affiliated areas are nationally significant

properties that meet the criteria for suitability

and that require some special recognition or

technical assistance beyond what is available

through existing NPS programs.

Since the Blue Bird Inn and United Sound

Systems Recording Studios have not been

determined nationally significant, they are not

currently eligible for assistance through many

existing NPS programs. To strengthen eligibility

to receive assistance from the National Park

Service, the Detroit Sound Conservancy should

work with the Michigan State Historic

Preservation Office to pursue listing of the Blue

Bird Inn and United Sound Systems Recording

Studios in the National Register of Historic

Places.

NPS technical assistance for historic

preservation and collections management are

available to affiliated areas, but a wealth of

information is available to the public at large as

well. The Technical Preservation Services

branch of NPS provides technical assistance and

guidance on the preservation of historic

properties, publications which are the basis for

responsible care of historic buildings and

landscapes in the community of preservation

practice. The NPS Museum Handbook is a

publicly available resource that establishes

standards and procedures of preservation as

well as documentation and accountability for

museum collections. Neither the Blue Bird Inn

nor United Sound are open to the public at the

time of this study. Therefore, assistance that

NPS provides to affiliated areas with

interpretation or visitor services are not

required at this time.

The Detroit Sound Conservancy currently works

with local entities for the purpose of

educational and interpretive programming. The

organization has shown skill in identifying and

spurring action at sites without the need for

federal assistance. It does not appear that

special recognition or technical assistance

beyond what is available through existing NPS

programs is required for the Blue Bird Inn or

United Sound at this time.

Given the preliminary nature of this

reconnaissance survey and that national

significance, suitability, and need for special

recognition or technical assistance criteria are

unlikely to be met at this time, no further

evaluation was given to the two additional

criteria for affiliated areas: that affiliated areas

be managed in accordance with the policies and

standards that apply to units of the national

park system; and that NPS be assured of

sustained resource protection as documented

in a formal agreement .

PRELIMINARY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION

For resources and properties to be eligible for

inclusion as an affiliated area of the National

Park Service, they must be nationally significant,

suitable, and require special recognition or

technical assistance beyond what is available

through existing NPS programs. Current

documentation does not allow for definitive

conclusions to be made for these criteria.

The Blue Bird Inn

Significance: Without an evaluation confirming

national significance, the Blue Bird Inn does not

meet the criteria for inclusion as an affiliated

area. The Detroit Sound Conservancy should

work with the Michigan State Historic

Preservation Office to determine the Blue Bird

Inn’s eligibility for listing in the NRHP, and if

eligible at the national level of significance, its

eligibility as a NHL.

Suitability: It is unlikely that the Blue Bird Inn

would meet the criteria for suitability as an

important site in the evolution of jazz music.

There is a national park unit dedicated to jazz,

and several other sites significant to the history

of popular music that are preserved and open

to the public.

United Sound Systems Recording Studios

Significance: Though United Sound Systems

Recording Studios has been determined eligible

for listing in the NRHP, without a finding of

national significance, United Sound would not

meet the significance criteria for inclusion as an

affiliated area.

Suitability: It unlikely that the United Sound

would meet the criteria for suitability. There are

several recording studios that have made

significant contributions to music history that

are recognized as NHLs or listed in the NRHP as

nationally significant that are open to the public

and interpreted for public enjoyment. Most of

those properties are sufficiently managed and

maintained by nonfederal management entities

and without NPS- affiliated area status.

NEED FOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION

It is unclear that the Blue Bird Inn or United

Sound require special recognition or technical

assistance beyond what is available through

existing NPS programs at this time.

The Detroit Sound Conservancy was established

in 2012 is still forming relationships and

partnerships to support its mission. The

Conservancy has shown an ability to identify

priorities and execute them without federal

funding. For this reason, it is unclear how any

partnership or designation with the National

Park Service would help the organization meet

its future goals.

If the Detroit Sound Conservancy continues to

draw on support from its community,

nonfederal entities, and existing NPS programs,

the Blue Bird Inn and United Sound could be

sufficiently managed without the need for

affiliated area status, and could be listed in the

NHRP or recognized as NHLs if more in-depth

study finds that the sites are significant.

CONCLUSION

The Blue Bird Inn and United Sound Systems

Recording Studios are pieces of the Detroit

musical legacy. The Blue Bird Inn and United

Sound Systems Recording Studios have not

been adequately assessed for their potential

national significance and are also unlikely to be

found suitable for inclusion as affiliated areas of

the National Park Service. This reconnaissance

survey does not recommend further study for

NPS-affiliated area status at this time.

For additional opportunities for protection and

public enjoyment of these sites, the Detroit

Sound Conservancy should work with the

Michigan State Historic Preservation Office to

determine whether the Blue Bird Inn and

United Sound Systems Recording Studios could

be considered for inclusion in the NRHP at the

national level of significance. Listing in the

NRHP would make available additional technical

assistance and funding opportunities.

SELECTED REFERENCES

Ann Arbor’s 107 One. “United Sound Systems Recording Studio Will Be Preserved.” January 11, 2019.

http://www.annarbors107one.com/2019/01/11/united-sound-systems-recording-studio-will-be-

preserved/ (accessed November 6, 2019)

Bjorn, Lars, and Jim Gallert. Before Motown: A History of Jazz in Detroit. Ann Arbor, MI: University of

Michigan Press, 2001.

“Blue Bird Inn.” Detroit Tribune, May 14, 1938.

“Blue Bird Inn.” Localwiki Detroit. Accessed May 31, 2019. https://localwiki.org/detroit/Blue_Bird_Inn.

Boyd, Herb. Detroit Jazz Who’s Who. Detroit, MI: Jazz Research Institute, 1984.

Brace, Lorin. “Archeology at the Blue Bird.” Last modified November 7, 2015.

http://detroitsoundconservancy.org/archaeology-at-the-blue-bird/.

City of Detroit City Council. “Proposed United Sound System Recording Studios Historic District Final Report.”

Historic Designation Advisory Board. 2014.

DeVeaux, Scott. "Constructing the Jazz Tradition: Jazz Historiography." Black American Literature Forum 25,

no. 3 (Autumn 1991): 525-60.

"DuBois Trial Adjourned For Two Weeks by Court." Detroit Tribune, January 22, 1938.

“Found Guilty on 1

Degree Murder Count.” Detroit Tribune, February 12, 1938.

Jazz Discography Project. “Charlie Parker Discography.” Jazzdisco.org. Jazz Discography Project. 1947.

https://www.jazzdisco.org/charlie-parker/discography/#471221.

Marcias, Anthony. “’Detroit was Heavy’: Modern Jazz, Bebop, and African American Expressive Culture.” The

Journal of African American History 95, no. 1 (Winter 2010): 44-70.

McAtackney, Laura, and Krysta Ryzewski. Contemporary Archaeology and the City: Creativity, Ruination, and

Political Action. Oxford University Press: 2017. Pg. 69-85.

Michigan Department of Transportation. “Final Section 4(f) Evaluations for the Woodbridge Neighborhood

Historic District, I-94/M-10 Interchange, Square D/Detroit Fuse & Manufacturing Building, and the

United Sound Systems Recording Studios.” I-94 Rehabilitation Project: Final Environmental Impact

Statement and Section 4(f) Evaluation. December 2004.

National Park Service. Foundation Document: New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. New Orleans, LA.

May 2015.

National Park Service. Report on Criteria for Affiliated Areas. Department of the Interior. February 1990.

National Register of Historic Places. Beale Street Historic District. Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee.

National Register #66000731

National Register of Historic Places. Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. Sheffield, Colbert County, Alabama.

National Register #06000437

National Register of Historic Places. Mutual Musician’s Foundation Building. Kansas City, Jackson County,

Missouri. National Register #79001372

National Register of Historic Places. Ryman Auditorium. Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee. National

National Register of Historic Places. Sun Record Company. Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee. National

"The Blue Bird Inn." The History and Future of the Motor City.

http://detroit1701.org/Blue%20Bird%20Inn.html#.XNXUPo5KiUn.

APPENDIXES

Appendix A: Representative Lawrence Reconnaissance Survey Request Letter

Appendix B: National Park Service Management Policies 2006 § 1.3

1.3 Criteria for Inclusion

Congress declared the national park system

General Authorities Act of 1970 that areas

comprising the national park system are

cumulative expressions of a single national

heritage. Potential additions to the national park

system should therefore contribute in their own

special way to a system that fully represents the

broad spectrum of natural and cultural resources

that characterize our nation. The National Park

Service is responsible for conducting professional

studies of potential additions to the national park

system when specifically authorized by an act of

Congress, and for making recommendations to

the Secretary of the Interior, the President, and

Congress. Several laws outline criteria for units of

the national park system and for additions to the

Natural Wild and Scenic Rivers System and the

National Trails System.

To receive a favorable recommendation from the

Service, a proposed addition to the national park

system must:

(1) Possess nationally significant or cultural

resources, (2) be a suitable addition to the

park system, (3) be a feasible addition to the

system, and (4) require direct NPS

management instead of protection by other

public agencies or the private sector. These

criteria are designed to ensure that the

national park system include only the most

outstanding examples of the nation’s natural

and cultural resources. These criteria also

recognize that there are other management

alternatives for preserving the nation’s

outstanding resources.

1.3.1 National Significance

NPS professionals, in consultation with subject-

matter experts, scholars, and scientists, will

determine whether a resource is nationally

significant. An area will be considered nationally

significant if it meets all the following criteria:

• It is an outstanding example of a particular

type of resource.

• It possesses exceptional value or quality in

illustrating or interpreting the natural or

cultural themes of our nation’s heritage.

• It offers superlative opportunities for public

enjoyment or for scientific study.

• It retains a high degree of integrity as a true,

accurate, and relatively unspoiled example of

a resource.

National significance for cultural resources will be

evaluated by applying the National Historic

Landmarks criteria contained in 36 CFR Part 65

(Code of Federal Regulations).

1.3.2 Suitability

An area is considered suitable for addition to the

national park system if it represents a natural or

cultural resource type that is not already

adequately represented in the national park

system, or is not comparably represented and

protected for public enjoyment by other federal

agencies; tribal, state, or local governments; or

the private sector.

Adequacy of representation is determined on a

case-by-case basis by comparing the potential

addition to other comparably managed areas

representing the same resource type, while

considering differences or similarities in the

character, quality, quantity, or combination or

resource values. The comparative analysis also

addresses rarity of the resources, interpretive and

educational potential, and similar resources

already protected in the national park system or

in other public or private ownership. The

comparison results in a determination of whether

the proposed new area would expand, enhance,

or duplicate resource protection or visitor use

opportunities found in other comparably

managed areas.

1.3.3 Feasibility

To be feasible as a new unit of the national park

system, an area must be (1) of sufficient size and

appropriate configuration to ensure sustainable

resource protection and visitor enjoyment (taking

into account current and potential impacts from

sources beyond proposed park boundaries), and

(2) capable of efficient administration by the

Service at a reasonable cost.

In evaluating feasibility, the Service considers a

variety of factors for a study area, such as the

following:

• Size

• Boundary configurations

• Current and potential land use of the study

area and surrounding lands

• Landownership patterns

• Public enjoyment potential

• Costs associated with acquisition,

development, restoration, and operation

• Access

• Current and potential threats to the resource

• Existing degradation of resources

• Staffing requirements

• Local planning and zoning

• The level of local and general public support

(including landowners)

• The economic/socioeconomic impacts of

designation as a unit of the national park

system

The feasibility evaluation also considers the ability

of the National Park Service to undertake new

management responsibilities in light of current

and projected availability of funding and

personnel.

An overall evaluation of feasibility will be made

after taking into account all of the above factors.

However, evaluations may sometimes identify

concerns or conditions, rather than simply reach a

yes or no conclusion. For example, some new

areas may be feasible additions to the national

park system only if landowners are willing to sell,

or the boundary encompasses specific areas

necessary for visitor access, or state or local

governments will provide appropriate assurances

that adjacent land uses will remain compatible

with the study area’s resources and values.

1.3.4 Direct NPS Management

There are many excellent examples of the

successful management of important natural and

cultural resources by other public agencies,

private conservation organizations, and

individuals. The National Park Service applauds

these accomplishments and actively encourages

the expansion of conservation activities by state,

local, and private entities and by other federal

agencies. Unless direct NPS management of a

studied area is identified as the clearly superior

alternative, the Service will recommend that one

or more of these other entities assume a lead

management role, and that the area will not

receive national park system status.

Studies will evaluate an appropriate range of

management alternatives and will identify which

alternative or combination of alternatives would,

in the professional judgement of the Director, be

most effective and efficient in protecting

significant resources and providing opportunities

for appropriate public enjoyment. Alternatives for

NPS management will not be developed for study

areas that fail to meet any one of the four criteria

for inclusion listed in section 1.3.

In cases where a study area’s resources meet

criteria for national significance but do not meet

other criteria for inclusion in the national park

system, the Service may instead recommend an

alternative status, such as “affiliated area.” To be

eligible for affiliated status, the area’s resources

must (1) meet the same standards for significance

and suitability that apply to units of the national

park system; (2) require some special recognition

or technical assistance beyond what is available

through existing NPS programs; (3) be managed in

accordance with the policies and standards that

apply to units of the national park system; and (4)

be assured of sustained resource protection, as

documented in a formal agreement between the

Service and the nonfederal management entity.

Designation as a “heritage area” is another option

that may be recommended. Heritage areas have a

nationally important, distinctive assemblage of

resources that is best managed for conservation,

recreation, education, and continued use through

partnerships among public and private entities at

the local or regional level. Either of these two

alternatives (and others as well) would recognize

an area’s importance to the nation without

requiring or implying management by the

National Park Service.

Appendix C: Excerpt from Report on Criteria for Affiliated Areas

National Park Service, February 1990

Summary

Public Law 100-336 directs the Secretary of the

Interior to prepare a report on criteria for the

elements of national significance and other

factors necessary for an area to be considered

appropriate as an affiliated area of the National

Park System.

A study by the National Park Service found that

there is no clear legislative basis for listing

affiliated areas, the title has not been applied

consistently in the past, and that no standards

exist for National Park Service oversight of how

affiliated areas are operated. Areas have been

classified as affiliated because they did not fit the

definition of a park system unit rather than

because they did meet some clearly defined

criteria.

The report recommends that the title of affiliated

area be applied to a select group of nationally

significant areas that have a formal cooperative

relationship with the National Park Service.

Affiliated status should not be considered a

stepping stone toward becoming a unit of the

National Park System, and it should not be used

simply as a mechanism to provide funds to these

areas.

Areas would be defined as being affiliated with

the National Park System if Congress or the

Secretary has determined that they meet criteria

for national significance, the resources can be

most efficiently and effectively managed by a

cooperative management arrangement with the

National Park Service instead of direct operation

as a unit of the National Park System, and NPS has

some continuing responsibility for technical or

financial assistance and oversight of the area’s

management.

A single set of criteria for national significance is

proposed for potential NPS units and affiliated

areas. As outlined in the 1988 NPS Management

Policies, a resource is considered nationally

significant if it: 1) is an outstanding example of a

particular type of resource; 2) possesses

exceptional value or quality in illustrating or

interpreting the natural or cultural themes of our

Nation’s heritage; 3) offers superlative

opportunities for recreation, public use and

enjoyment or for scientific study; and 4) retains a

high degree of integrity as a true, accurate, and

relatively unspoiled example of the resource. The

report provides examples of natural, cultural, and

recreational resources that may be nationally

significant.

Two additional criteria are recognized in

evaluating potential new parks and affiliated

areas: suitability/feasibility and management

alternatives. Criteria for suitability and feasibility

as an affiliated area differ somewhat from the

criteria for a NPS unit because affiliated areas are

not managed by the National Park Service. To be

suitable and feasible as an affiliate, the area must

need some special recognition or technical

assistance beyond what is available through

existing NPS programs, document that a

cooperative arrangement with the National Park

Service and contributions from other sources will

be adequate to assure long-term protection of the

resource, and be able to establish and continue a

standard of maintenance, operations, public

service, and financial accountability consistent

with requirements applicable to National Park

System units….

Recommendations

The title of affiliated area should be used for a

select group of nationally significant areas that

have a formal cooperative relationship with the

National Park Service. The primary purpose of

affiliated area “status” should be to recognize the

significance of the resources and affirm that the

area is being managed consistent with standards

that apply to National Park System units.

Recognition or designation as an affiliated areas

should not be considered to be a stepping stone

toward status as a unit of the National Park

System, nor should it be used to provide funding

for such areas through the National Park System

budget. Affiliated areas should be eligible for

technical and, in some cases, financial assistance

but this assistance should be limited to the

minimum necessary for carrying out a cooperative

management arrangement. Affiliated status

should not be conferred on areas primarily to

supplement existing grant programs or provide

special appropriations by Congress. Areas that

receive special appropriations from Congress or

technical assistance projects would not be

considered affiliated areas if they were not

nationally significant and did not involve a

continuing cooperative relationship with the

National Park Service.

Such a definition for affiliated areas would not

diminish the importance of NPS providing

technical or financial assistance to many other

areas including national natural and historic

landmarks, rivers, trails, and other special

projects. Under the National Historic Preservation

Act and the Outdoor Recreation Act of 1963, NPS

has general authority to provide technical

assistance to public and private sites that are not

necessarily of national significance. Congress is

likely to continue providing special appropriations

to a few areas through the National Park Service

budget regardless of national significance and

without specifying any operating relationship to

the National Park Service. These areas would not

be considered affiliates. The proposed definition

would draw a distinction between the thousands

of areas that NPS is associated with and a smaller

set of areas that are affiliated through a more

formal relationship with the National Park

System….

Appendix D: 36 CFR § 65.4: National Historic Landmark Criteria

The criteria applied to evaluate properties for

possible designation as National Historic

Landmarks or possible determination of eligibility

for National Historic Landmark designation are

listed below. These criteria shall be used by NPS in

the preparation, review and evaluation of

National Historic Landmark studies. They shall be

used by the Advisory Board in reviewing National

Historic Landmark studies and preparing

recommendations to the Secretary. Properties

shall be designated National Historic Landmarks

only if they are nationally significant. Although

assessments of national significance should reflect

both public perceptions and professional

judgments, the evaluations of properties being

considered for landmark designation are

undertaken by professionals, including historians,

architectural historians, archeologists and

anthropologists familiar with the broad range of

the nation's resources and historical themes. The

criteria applied by these specialists to potential

landmarks do not define significance nor set a

rigid standard for quality. Rather, the criteria

establish the qualitative framework in which a

comparative professional analysis of national

significance can occur. The final decision on

whether a property possesses national

significance is made by the Secretary on the basis

of documentation including the comments and

recommendations of the public who participate in

the designation process.

(a) Specific Criteria of National Significance: The

quality of national significance is ascribed to

districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects

that possess exceptional value or quality in

illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the

United States in history, architecture, archeology,

engineering and culture and that possess a high

degree of integrity of location, design, setting,

materials, workmanship, feeling and association,

and:

(1) That are associated with events that have

made a significant contribution to, and are

identified with, or that outstandingly

represent, the broad national patterns of

United States history and from which an

understanding and appreciation of those

patterns may be gained; or

(2) That are associated importantly with the lives

of persons nationally significant in the history

of the United States; or

(3) That represent some great idea or ideal of the

American people; or

(4) That embody the distinguishing

characteristics of an architectural type

specimen exceptionally valuable for a study of

a period, style or method of construction, or

that represent a significant, distinctive and

exceptional entity whose components may

lack individual distinction; or

(5) That are composed of integral parts of the

environment not sufficiently significant by

reason of historical association or artistic

merit to warrant individual recognition but

collectively compose an entity of exceptional

historical or artistic significance, or

outstandingly commemorate or illustrate a

way of life or culture; or

(6) That have yielded or may be likely to yield

information of major scientific importance by

revealing new cultures, or by shedding light

upon periods of occupation over large areas

of the United States. Such sites are those

which have yielded, or which may reasonably

be expected to yield, data affecting theories,

concepts and ideas to a major degree.

(b) Ordinarily, cemeteries, birthplaces, graves of

historical figures, properties owned by religious

institutions or used for religious purposes,

structures that have been moved from their

original locations, reconstructed historic buildings

and properties that have achieved significance

within the past 50 years are not eligible for

designation. Such properties, however, will qualify

if they fall within the following categories:

(1) A religious property deriving its primary

national significance from architectural or

artistic distinction or historical importance; or

(2) A building or structure removed from its

original location but which is nationally

significant primarily for its architectural merit,

or for association with persons or events of

transcendent importance in the nation's

history and the association consequential; or

(3) A site of a building or structure no longer

standing but the person or event associated

with it is of transcendent importance in the

nation's history and the association

consequential; or

(4) A birthplace, grave or burial if it is of a

historical figure of transcendent national

significance and no other appropriate site,

building or structure directly associated with

the productive life of that person exists; or

(5) A cemetery that derives its primary national

significance from graves of persons of

transcendent importance, or from an

exceptionally distinctive design or from an

exceptionally significant event; or

(6) A reconstructed building or ensemble of

buildings of extraordinary national

significance when accurately executed in a

suitable environment and presented in a

dignified manner as part of a restoration

master plan, and when no other buildings or

structures with the same association have

survived; or

(7) A property primarily commemorative in intent

if design, age, tradition, or symbolic value has

invested it with its own national historical

significance; or

(8) A property achieving national significance

within the past 50 years if it is of

extraordinary national importance.

ENDNOTES

Detroit Sound Conservancy, “Vision, Mission, and Goals,” http://detroitsound.org/mission/ (updated June

14, 2019)

Anthony Marcias, “’Detroit was Heavy’: Modern Jazz, Bebop, and African American Expressive Culture,” The

Journal of African American History 95, no. 1 (Winter 2010): 66.

iii

National Park Service, Foundation Document: New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, New Orleans, LA,

May 2015.

Lars Bjorn and Jim Gallert, Before Motown: A History of Jazz in Detroit (Ann Arbor, MI: University of

Michigan Press, 2001), 10.

Bjorn, 205.

Bjorn, 206.

vii

Anthony Marcias, 49.

viii

“Blue Bird Inn.” Detroit Tribune, May 14, 1938.

"The Blue Bird Inn," The History and Future of the Motor City,

http://detroit1701.org/Blue%20Bird%20Inn.html#.XNXUPo5KiUn.

“The Blue Bird Inn.”

Bjorn, 116.

xii

Bjorn, 117.

xiii

Lorin Brace, “Archeology at the Blue Bird,” last modified November 7, 2015,

http://detroitsoundconservancy.org/archaeology-at-the-blue-bird/.

xiv

Brace.

Michigan Department of Transportation, “Final Section 4(f) Evaluations for the Woodbridge Neighborhood

Historic District, I-94/M-10 Interchange, Square D/Detroit Fuse & Manufacturing Building, and the United

Sound Systems Recording Studios,” I-94 Rehabilitation Project: Final Environmental Impact Statement,

December 2004.

xvi

City of Detroit City Council, “Proposed United Sound System Recording Studios Historic District Final

Report,” Historic Designation Advisory Board, 2014.

xvii

Jazz Discography Project, “Charlie Parker Discography,” Jazzdisco.org, Jazz Discography Project, 1947,

https://www.jazzdisco.org/charlie-parker/discography/#471221.

xviii

City of Detroit City Council, 4.

xix

City of Detroit City Council, 4.

City of Detroit City Council, 5.

xxi

Ann Arbor’s 107 One, “United Sound Systems Recording Studio Will Be Preserved,” January 11, 2019.

http://www.annarbors107one.com/2019/01/11/united-sound-systems-recording-studio-will-be-preserved/

(accessed November 6, 2019)

xxii

Michigan Department of Transportation.

xxiii

The Governor John B. Swainson Michigan Historical Markers Act states that sites that are eligible to

receive a state historical marker must have historic significance to the state.

xxiv

National Park Service. Foundation Document: New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. New Orleans, LA.

May 2015.

xxv

National Register of Historic Places. Mutual Musician’s Foundation Building. Kansas City, Jackson County,

Missouri. National Register #79001372

xxvi

National Register of Historic Places. Ryman Auditorium. Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee. National

xxvii

National Register of Historic Places. Sun Record Company. Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee. National

xxviii

National Register of Historic Places. Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. Sheffield, Colbert County, Alabama.

National Register #06000437