OVERLOOKED HERITAGE IN A NATIONAL PARK
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Date
1999
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MA in Historic Preservation
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To view a complete copy of this thesis please contact Goucher College Special Collections & Archives at archives@goucher.edu or (410) 337-6075.
Abstract
Federal laws and National Park Service policies, standards and guidelines
regarding the preservation and protection of archeological resources have been in place in
the United States since the tum of the century. This thesis demonstrates how
archeological resources have not been consistently well managed or protected at Fort
McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore, Maryland, despite the
existence of agency policy statements. The National Park Service guidelines were first
formulated as early as 1938, frequently revised, then officially published in the Cultural
Resource Management Guideline (NPS-28) in 1980.
At this National Park Service site, externalities outside the context of historic
preservation often have affected management decisions regarding the stewardship of
archeological resources. External factors such as needs of public visitation, economic
trends, wars and even presidential and celebrity events often adversely impacted park
management procedures regarding archeological resources.
Examples from archeological investigations between 1958 and 1998 document
how these external influences impact resource management at Fort McHenry. These
examples further show that archeological investigations are not always carried out in a
systematic way. While construction projects and installation of utility lines are planned,
archeological investigations often occur in order to be in compliance with federal laws
rather than to perform resource-based research for decision-making.
This thesis is organized in seven chapters. The first chapter presents an overview
of federal archeology legislation, programs, policies and guidelines. The second chapter
presents an overview of major events and the historical context of the site. The third
through sixth chapters cite examples of archeological investigations undertaken at the
park from 1958 to 1995. The seventh chapter summarizes the recurring findings of the
professional archeologists and the pattern in the management of these archeological
resources that has been repeated for nearly forty years at Fort McHenry, with suggestions
for future management strategies.
The conclusion of this thesis is that important information and documentation in
the excavation reports as well as the preservation of the actual archeological resources
have not been a top priority and consequently have been overlooked, left uncompleted or
not fully utilized.