Books and Published Materials
HRA writes book length manuscripts suitable for a wide variety of audiences, from academics to the general public. Our books have included everything from National Park Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ administrative histories to coffee-table publications.

Featured Members
Featured Projects
Administrative History of Jewel Cave National Monument
For the National Park Service (NPS), HRA completed A Small Cave No More: An Administrative History of Jewel Cave National Monument, South Dakota. This detailed history tells the story of how the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service have managed Jewel Cave National Monument over the past 100 years.
Associated General Contractors Oregon-Columbia Chapter Centennial Book
HRA completed a 120-page “coffee table” book commemorating the centennial of the Associated General Contractors Oregon-Columbia Chapter.
History of the Cushman Hydroelectric Project
In June 2017, HRA historians completed “A History of the Cushman Hydroelectric Project: Tacoma Power, the Skokomish Tribe, and the Skokomish River, 1910–2016,” a fully illustrated interpretative history book for Tacoma Power.
History of the Far East District
For the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, HRA prepared an illustrated history titled Building Strong in Korea: A History of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Far East District. The manuscript covers the period 1957–2017 and traces the emergence of the Far East District following the Korean War and through numerous geopolitical changes, placed within the context of the Cold War and Korea’s own political and economic history.
Narrative History of Overlanders in the Columbia River Gorge, 1840-1870
For the National Park Service, HRA wrote Overlanders in the Columbia River Gorge, 1840–1870: A Narrative History. This history tells the story of the movement of people along Oregon Trail as they passed through the Columbia River Gorge.
Narrative History of Overlanders' First Year in Oregon, 1840-1869
HRA historians prepared a 200-page narrative report on the reactions and activities of overlanders on the Oregon Trail upon their arrival, first winter, and first year in the Oregon Country.
Nicodemus Historic Resource Study
HRA and our partner HRA Gray & Pape, LLC, prepared a historic resource study (HRS) of Nicodemus National Historical Site, an African American community in Kansas founded by former slaves. The study, which was conducted for the National Park Service, incorporated fieldwork, documentation of the park’s resources, oral histories, and detailed research in archival and secondary sources.
Portland District History Update
HRA prepared a comprehensive, updated history of the Portland District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers titled Engineering in the Twenty-First Century: A History of the Portland District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2000–2015. The history examines the work of the District in the twenty-first century and covers such topics as environmental mitigation, maintenance of aging infrastructure and hydroelectric projects, navigation, and technological changes.
U.S. Army Residential Communities Initiative Administrative History
In 2006, the U.S. Army hired HRA to conduct oral history interviews, perform research, and write a book detailing the history of the Army’s momentous Residential Communities Initiative (RCI) Program. The Army tasked HRA with collecting and telling the story of the pioneering privatization program to improve quality of life for soldiers and their families. The interviews became source material for writing Privatizing Military Family Housing: A History of the U.S. Army’s Residential Communities Initiative, 1995–2010.
Historical Research
Administrative and Corporate History
HRA’s administrative and corporate histories turn past experience into present value by helping to impart institutional knowledge to managers, staff, and the general public.
Interpretive Planning and Exhibit Development
HRA provides research, writing, layout, and design for various forms of interpretive content and exhibits.