HSPV Studio: Whitesbog Historic Village

The project was guided by studio advisor Julie Donofrio in collaboration with the Whitesbog Preservation Trust. The primary aim of the studio was to design strategies to identify and preserve the significant aspects of the site through conservation, interpretation, and planning. The products of the studio were intended to support the Whitesbog Preservation Trust in creating a sustainable future, ensuring that the site remains a vibrant working cultural landscape for generations to come.

Nestled in the heart of the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey, Whitesbog serves as an enduring remnant of the region’s prominent cranberry and blueberry industries. Founded in 1857, Whitesbog quickly grew into a locus of agricultural innovation, most notably for the pioneering work of Elizabeth White in cultivating the first commercially viable blueberry. Today, the Whitesbog Historic Village and its associated blueberry fields and cranberry bogs are part of the living history of fruit production in the region.

Key features of the site include Elizabeth White’s home and her blueberry testing fields, as well as the houses of the workers who fueled harvesting operations. The village also continues to function as an active working landscape; visitors to the site can seasonally explore the process of a cranberry harvest through the historic bogs still in use today. Whitesbog is beloved by the local community of Burlington County, who enjoy scenic trails, annual festivals, guided tours, or educational field trips that the site has to offer. These educational initiatives are further strengthened by the site’s ongoing relationships with local universities, solidifying Whitesbog’s role not only as a recreational and social gathering point but also as an educational hub focused on the region’s agricultural history and present-day farming practices.