R. Burton Litton Jr., 89, professor who helped save roadside views
wazzzy
Along the highways and byways of America, there are small pullouts
identified by a sign that says something like: Look here!
Many of those places are so identified because R. Burton Litton Jr.
figured out a way -- a scientific, methodical way -- to identify the
best places to pull off the road for a beautiful view.
Mr. Litton was trained as a landscape architect but saw land through
the eyes of an artist. Throughout his career, he advised the U.S.
Forest Service and other public agencies on how to best preserve the
visual impact of the land when building roads, clearing timber or
choosing a vista point.
He died April 14 of complications from a stroke. He was 89.
Mr. Litton was a UC Berkeley professor of landscape architecture for
four decades, starting his teaching career in 1948 and retiring in
1988.
During his tenure at the university, he created what those in the
field call "visual landscape assessment," said his Cal colleague and
longtime friend Joe McBride.
In short, he gave the Forest Service a way to cut down trees or place
roads without destroying the natural topography of the land, McBride
said.
Prior to that, the service made square or rectangular clear cuts or
made roads without any regard to what the land would look like.
"It was very creative work on his part," McBride said.
The method included principles garnered from art appreciation classes
and landscape painting -- in other words, the things that made a
painting beautiful should be preserved within the natural setting or
pointed out to weary drivers.
That included taking into account what was in the foreground, middle
ground and background of a scene.
Mr. Litton was also an advocate for the common landscape. While
Yosemite Valley gets all the press, the Berkeley professor taught his
students to also appreciate the views one could find along Highway 120
between Oakdale and Half Dome.
"He believed if we appreciate only Yosemite Valley, it will be easier
to trash the common landscape," McBride said.
Mr. Litton was born on April 9, 1918, in Santa Rosa and grew up on a
ranch in Healdsburg.
He graduated from UC Berkeley in 1941, but his further studies at
Harvard University were interrupted by service in World War II.
During the war, Mr. Litton was a Navy photo interpreter in the
Aleutian Islands. There, he converted aerial photos into drawings of
what the land would look like from the water to help landing craft
troops better understand the topography of beaches and inland areas.
"It was quite a wonderful ability that he had," McBride said.
He later earned his master's degree at Iowa State University.
During his career and in retirement, Mr. Litton pursued his passion
for landscape painting, including scenes from Italy, Japan and New
England.
He was, McBride said, a "true gentleman."
"He had many friends, and students from years past always remember him
and ask about him," he added.
Mr. Litton was preceded in death by three wives, Barbara Litton,
Martha Maclise Swartz and Ava VanAkin, and his son Tom Litton. He is
survived by daughter Mary Traynham of Arbuckle (Colusa County); son
Edward Litton of El Cerrito; four grandchildren and five great-
grandchildren.
University officials are planning a public memorial in the fall.
Jill Tucker, Chronicle Staff Writer
Sunday, April 29, 2007