News Release

National Park Service extends draft Great River Road Historic Context Study public comment period to Aug. 30

Date: July 17, 2024
Contact: Saudia Muwwakkil

ATLANTA – The National Park Service (NPS) today extended the deadline to comment on the draft Historic Context Study and Survey Report of Great River Road, with comments now due by August 30 as NPS finalizes its evaluation of the 11-mile eastern Louisiana corridor.

The draft study – completed under contract by HHM & Associates – seeks to holistically document the integrity and significance of the study area, which covers a section of Great River Road as it follows the Mississippi River in St. John the Baptist Parish. Approximately 1,875 individual resources within the study area were collectively determined to illustrate nationally significant history.

The historic context study will not, itself, result in an NPS designation, but will determine the corridor’s eligibility for potential National Historic Landmark (NHL) district designation. NPS launched the Historic Context Study and Survey Report of Great River Road in response to a letter of inquiry, an initial step in the NHL nomination process.

Opportunity for Public Comment 

The NPS welcomes written public comments that will help evaluate the historic significance of the resources within the Great River Road corridor. Specifically, NPS seeks input on the following questions:   

1. The scope of work for this study did not include extensive fieldwork. Are you aware of any buildings, structures, or sites in the project area that the windshield and desktop survey missed? If so, please provide locations and any known information about the resource type and construction date. 
2. Do you have any documentation about specific resources that could help supplement the preliminary desktop and windshield survey? Especially helpful information would include construction dates, major alteration dates, and/or historic photos of buildings. 
3. While the resources included above are tangible, the values that inform the heritage throughout the study area are intangible. Does the study sufficiently recognize the area's traditional cultural practices? What else should be considered? 
4. Do you agree with the study's findings? Why or why not? 

 
The public may submit written comments on the study for NPS consideration on the project website or via postal mail, postmarked by August 30: 

• Online (the preferred method) 
  • Visit https://parkplanning.nps.gov/RiverRoad 
  • Select “Open for Comment” on the left menu bar, open the “Great River Road Historic Context Study Draft (May 2024)” folder and click on the green “Comment Now” button to access the online commenting form; or 
• By Postal Mail, send comments to: 
  • Alesha Cerny 
  • Attn: Great River Road Study 
  • National Park Service 
  • 100 Alabama Street, SW 
  • Atlanta, GA 30303

For more information about the Great River Road historic context study, including the draft study, frequently asked questions and other relevant material, visit the project website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/RiverRoad.

About the Great River Road 

Louisiana’s Historic River Road contains sites associated with the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail and is part of the larger Great River Road National Scenic Byway, which follows the course of the Mississippi River for roughly 3,000 miles from Northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. The NHL Program is reviewing a letter of inquiry, the first step of the NHL nomination process, to determine if an eleven-mile section of Great River Road appears to meet the criteria for NHL designation. The final study will not automatically result in a designation. The eleven-mile section identified for this effort is currently part of the State-certified River Road Cultural District and the local Parish-designated River Road Historic District.

About the National Historic Landmarks Program 

National Historic Landmarks are nationally significant historic places that have exceptional abilities to illustrate and interpret American cultural heritage. The National Historic Landmarks Program, established in 1935, is administered by the National Park Service on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior and is responsible for helping to preserve and protect the almost 2,600 NHLs in the United States. The agency works with preservation officials, private property owners and other partners interested in nominating properties for National Historic Landmark designation. The program provides states and local communities with technical assistance, recognition and funding to help preserve our nation’s shared history and create close-to-home recreation opportunities.