Kudos to the NHL staff for coordinating the nominations of Dr. Bob’s Home and Stepping Stones. The two sites together illustrate the genesis of Alcoholics Anonymous in Akron with Dr. Bob, Anne, Bill, and a small circle of others; and its later explosive growth as an organization, as well as the development of Al-Anon, under the stewardship of Bill and Lois. In this way, the designation process itself provides an interpretive framework for understanding the evolution of the Alcoholics Anonymous fellowship.
National Historic Landmark status is reserved for places that “possess exceptional value and quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States.” Perhaps the most important aspect of this designation is that it gets the story of Alcoholics Anonymous into the mainstream of American history, where it belongs.