NPS Family Tree MENU Contents Foreword Introduction Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V Part VI Part VII Acknowledgements Abbreviations		Family Tree of the National Park System Part IV part IV GROWTH OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM 1933-1964 HISTORICAL AREAS, 1933 - 1964 Seventy-five Historical Areas were added to the National Park System between 1933 and 1i64, including nine National Historic Sites and one International Park in non-federal ownership. For purposes of clarity these 75 areas are presented under the nine thematic headings currently used by the National Park Service for Historical Areas: I. The Original Inhabitants: 1934 Ocmulgee N.M., Ga. 1937 Pipestone N.M., Min. 1939 Tuzigoot N.M., Ariz. 1949 Effigy Mounds N.M., Ohio 1955 City of Refuge N.H.P., Hawaii 1961 Russell Cave N.M., Ala. II. European Exploration & Settlement: 1940 Jamestown N.H.S.,* Va. 1941 Fort Raleigh N.H.S., N.C. 1941 San Jose Mission N.H.S,* Texas 1948 DeSoto N. Mem., Fla. 1949 Saint Croix Island N.M., V.I. 1949 San Juan N.H.S., P.R. 1950 Fort Caroline N. Mem., Fla. 1952 Chicago Portage N.H.S.,* Ill. 1952 Virgin Islands N.H.S., V.I. 1952 Coronado N. Mem., Ariz. 1960 Arkansas Post N. Mem., Ark. 1960 St. Thomas N.H.S., V.I. III. Development of the English Colonies, 1700-1775: 1936 Fort Frederica N.M., Ga. 1943 St. Paul's Church N.H.S.,* N.Y. IV. Major American Wars: 1935 Fort Stanwix N.M., N.Y. 1936 Richmond N.B.P., Va. 1938 Saratoga N.H.P., N.Y. 1940 Manassas N.B.P., Va. 1948 Fort Sumter N.M., S.C. 1948 Independence N.H.P., Pa. 1951 Dorchester Heights N.H.S.,* Mass. 1956 Pea Ridge N.M.P., Ark. 1959 Minute Man N.H.P., Mass. 1960 Wilson's Creek N.B.P., Mo. V. Political and Military Affairs: 1934 Thomas Jefferson Mem., D.C. 1935 Fort Jefferson N.M., Fla. 1935 Andrew Johnson N.M., Tenn. 1939 Federal Hall N. Mem., N.Y. 1944 Home of the F.D.R. N.H.S., N.Y. 1944 Harpers Ferry N.M., Va. 1946 Touro Synagogue N.H.S.,* R.I. 1946 Adams N.H.S., Mass. 1947 Theodore Roosevelt N. Mem. P., N. Dak. 1958 General Grant N. Mem., N.Y. 1961 White House, D.C. 1962 Lincoln Boyhood N. Mem., Ind. 1962 Hamilton Grange N. Mem., N.Y. 1962 Sagamore Hill N.H.S., N.Y. 1962 Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace N.H.S., N.Y. 1964 Roosevelt-Campobello Int'l P.,* Canada VI. Westward Expansion 1763-1898: 1935 Jefferson Natl. Exp. Mem., Mo. 1936 Homestead N.M., Nebr. 1936 Whitman N.M., Wash. 1938 Fort Laramie N.M., Wyo. 1940 Cumberland Gap N.H.P., Ky.-Tenn.-Va. 1941 McLoughlin House N.H.S.,* Ore. 1948 Fort Vancouver, Wash. 1951 Grand Portage N.H.S., Minn. 1954 Fort Union N.M., N. Mex. 1956 Horseshoe Bend N.M.P., Ala. 1956 Chimney Rock N.H.S.,* Nebr. 1958 Fort Clatsop N.M., Ore. 1960 Bent's Old Fort N.H.S., Colo. 1961 Fort Davis N.H.S., Tex. 1961 Fort Smith N.H.S., Ark. VII. America At Work: 1938 Salem Maritime N.H.S., Mass. 1938 Hopewell Village N.H.S., Pa. 1938 Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, Md.-W. Va. 1939 Old Philadelpelphia Custom House N.H.S., Pa. 1942 Gloria Dei Church N.H.S.,* Pa. 1943 George Washington Carver N. Mem., Mo. 1948 Hampton N.H.S., Md. 1955 Edison Home N.H.S., Md. 1957 Golden Spike N.H.S., Utah VIII. The Contemplative Society IX. Society and Social Conscience: 1940 Vanderbilt Mansion N.H.S., N.Y. 1946 Castle Clinton N.M., Va. 1956 Booker T. Washington N.M., Va. 1961 Piscataway Park, Md. 1962 Frederick Douglass Home, D.C. *Non-federal ownership. It is an impressive list. One immediately notes a new national system for classifying historical areas. Instead of such categories as National Military Parks, National Memorials and National Monuments commonly used before 1933, we find new categories based on the principal periods or phases in American history. One of the most important steps taken by the National Park Service to meet its sharply increased responsibilities for historic preservation following the Reorganization of 1933 and passage of the Historic Sites Act in 1935 was adoption of this thematic system of classification. The origin of this concept — so unlike classification systems found in several European countries based primarily on architectural styles — may be traced to the Educational Advisory Committee appointed by Secretary Roy O. West in 1928. That committee, headed by Dr. John C. Merriam of the Carnegie Institution, submitted a number of basic recommendations to the Secretary in January 1929. One of these, developed by the anthropologist member, Dr. Clark Wissler, American Museum of Natural History, read in part as follows: In view of the importance and the great opportunity for appreciation of the nature and meaning of history as represented in our National Parks and Monuments, it is recommended that the National Parks and Monuments containing, primarily, archeological and historical materials should be selected to serve as indices of periods in the historical sequence of human life in America. At each such monument the particular event represented should be viewed in its immediate historical perspective, thus not only developing a specific narrative but presenting the event in its historical background. Further, a selection should be made of a number of existing monuments which in their totality may, as points of reference, define the general outline of man's career on this continent. Dr. Wissler's idea was embraced by a successor body, the Advisory Board on National Parks, Historic Sites, Buildings and Monuments, appointed in 1935 under provisions of the Historic Sites Act, and notably by one of its most distinguished members and later its Chairman, Dr. Waldo G. Leland, Director of the American Council of Learned Societies. The concept was further developed and refined by Dr. Verne E. Chatelain, Chief Historian of the Service until 1937, and members of his staff. Originally numbering some 22 themes, it has gradually evolved until today it numbers nine major themes and 43 sub-themes. The importance of the concept lies in its comprehensiveness, providing the historic preservation program with an underlying framework which embraces the entire history of man on the North American continent and envisages historical holdings in the National Park System as preserving and presenting through carefully selected monuments a noble panorama of the full sweep of that history for the benefit and inspiration of the people of the United States. The effect of the thematic approach in broadening representation of historic sites and buildings in the System may be seen in the following table: Historic Sites and Buildings According to Theme Historical Areas   in N.P. System I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX Total* 1916 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 1933 Before Reorg. 11 5 1 2 1 2 0 0 0 22 After Reorg. 15 8 2 23 6 3 0 1 1 59 1964 21 20 3 35 22 19 9 1 6 135 1972 24 22 3 36 32 22 11 3 9 162 *The figures in the table are cumulative. They do not include eleven National Cemeteries classified as Historical Areas, some seven areas once authorized but later abolished or merged into other parks, and a number of other areas not classified for various administrative reasons. The National Park System started out in 1916 with only two of nine themes represented — Theme I, The Original Inhabitants, and Theme II, European Exploration and Settlement, with four areas each. After the Reorganization of 1933, five themes were represented by three areas or more; but Theme IV, Major American Wars, with 23 battlefields and forts not counting eleven National Cemeteries, was much the most heavily represented, reflecting the War Department's long emphasis on National Military Parks. During the last 35 years, however, the historical branch of the Family Tree has been growing, steadily though unevenly, according to an intelligible thematic pattern reflecting the broad sweep of social, cultural, economic, political, and military history in the United States. Much of this would not have happened without the Historic Sites Act of 1935, a logical follow-up to the Reorganization of 1933. On November 10, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt invited his friend and neighbor, Major Gist Blair, to give consideration "to some kind of plan which would coordinate the broad relationship of the Federal Government to State and local interest in the maintenance of historic sources and places throughout the country. I am struck with the fact there is no definite, broad policy in this matter [underlining supplied]." Roosevelt asked Blair to talk the matter over with Secretary Ickes, "who in the transfer of government functions has been given authority over national monuments," and observed that legislation might be necessary. Before 22 months had elapsed, through the efforts of many persons including Major Blair and his associates in the Society of Colonial Wars, Dr. W. A. R. Goodwin of Williamsburg Va., Secretary Ickes, Assistant Solicitor Rufus G. Poole, J. Thomas Schneider, Director Cammerer, Chief Historian Chatelain Senator Harry F. Byrd of Virginia, Rep. Maury Maverick of Texas, and others, the Historic Sites Act was conceived, drafted, introduced, considered in hearings, amended, passed, and signed by the President on August 21, 1935. The Act declared "that it is a national policy to preserve for public use historic sites, buildings and objects of national significance for the inspiration and benefit of the people of the United States." This new and greatly broadened national policy has been the cornerstone of the Federal Government's historic preservation program ever since 1935, reaffirmed both in the Act of October 26, 1949, which created the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and in the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. To carry out the policy, the Act assigned broad powers, duties and functions to the Secretary of the Interior to be exercised through the National Park Service, among them: (1) make a national survey of historic and archaeological sites, buildings, and objects to determine which have "exceptional value as commemorating or illustrating the history of the United States;" (2) acquire real or personal property for the purpose of the Act; (3) contract or make cooperative agreements with states, municipal subdivisions, corporations, associations, or individuals to preserve historic properties. The Act established an Advisory Board on National Parks, Historic Sites, Buildings and Monuments. Soon after its passage the Secretary of the Interior established a Code of Procedure for designation of National Historic Sites and created a Branch of Historic Sites and Buildings headed successively during this period by Chatelain, 1935-37; Ronald F. Lee, 1938-51, the war years excepted; and Herbert E. Kahler, 1951-64. This sweeping legislation had important consequences for the Family Tree. It resulted in establishment of the National Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings to evaluate all historic sites and buildings thereafter proposed for addition to the System and after 1956 all National Historic Landmarks. It provided legal authority for the Secretary of the Interior to designate National Historic Sites which successive Secretaries exercised during this period to add 18 Historical Areas to the System including the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, Federal Hall, the Old Philadelphia Customs House, the Home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and the Adams National Historic Site, and to designate nine other National Historic Sites in non-federal ownership. The Act provided a new and stronger legal foundation for the Historic American Buildings Survey and the Inter-Agency Archaeological Salvage Program. It created a national Advisory Board to help guide the entire program. In brief, the Act gave new impetus, scope, and direction to National Park Service participation in a rising national movement for historic preservation in the United States. It may be useful at this point to present a comparative table showing the legal basis for all the Historical Areas now in the System. Of 169 areas shown in the following table, 39 were proclaimed by the President under the Antiquities Act, 28 were designated by the Secretary of the Interior under the Historic Sites Act and 102 were authorized by separate Acts of Congress. Sources of Legislative Authority for Historical Areas* Period Antiquities Act Historic Sites Act Individual Acts of Congress TOTAL Federal Ownership Non-Federal Ownership 1916 7 0 0 1 8   1933 After Reorg. 26 0 0 33 59* 1933-1951 4 13 7 20 44   1951-1964 2 3 3 22 30   1964-1972 0 2 0 26 28   39 18 10 102 169* *Not including 11 National Cemeteries authorized by 1867 legislation; but counting seven Historical Areas authorized but not activated, later abolished or absorbed into other areas. Of 58 Historical Areas established during the last twenty years, 48 were authorized by individual acts of Congress, only eight were designated by the Secretary, and two were proclaimed by the President. It is clear that since World War II the power of the President or the Secretary to establish Historical Areas by proclamation or designation has, largely under pressure from Congress, almost lapsed into disuse. On the other hand, Congress has consistently supported preservation objectives by enacting more than a hundred measures for the protection of individual historic sites and buildings and has reaffirmed its commitment by enacting the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and subsequently supporting it with significant appropriations. Returning to our thematic list, we note that the Service program for preserving prehistoric sites and structures was carried forward very modestly between 1933 and 1964. Six prehistoric areas were added to the System, five of them representing Indian cultures in other geographic and cultural regions than the Southwest where previous emphasis had been placed. They included Indian mound groups in Georgia (Ocmulgee) and Iowa (Effigy Mounds), an ancient Indian quarry in Minnesota (Pipestone), an historic sanctuary and prehistoric site in Hawaii (City of Refuge), and a cave in Alabama (Russell Cave) occupied as early as 6000 B. C. Some of the most important historical additions to the System between 1933 and 1964 are almost lost to sight in this long thematic list. Jefferson National Expansion Memorial was the first National Historic Site established under authority of the Historic Sites Act. More important, its 37 square blocks embraced a key urban area on the historic St. Louis waterfront — the first major effort of the Service, after National Capital Parks, to conserve and develop a large and important urban historic site. Some architectural monuments, including the Old St. Louis Post Office and the Cathedral, have been carefully preserved, but the main feature of the area is the only major national memorial of modern design in the United States, and one of a small number in the world — Eero Saarinen's magnificent stainless steel Arch. In 1948, responding to recommendations of a study commission, Congress authorized another major urban project, the Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, the most important historical area in the United States, embracing Independence Hall and Square, Congress Hall, Carpenters Hall, and many other sites and buildings intimately associated with the winning of our independence and the establishment of our government under the Constitution. The commission method of analyzing complex urban problems was thereafter adopted for Boston, where it led to authorization of Minute Man National Historical Park in 1959. Recommendations for other Boston sites, including the Bunker Hill Monument, Faneuil Hall, and the Old Boston State House, are still pending today. A commission was also established for New York City, where a remarkable complex of urban monuments was developed during this period, adding Federal Hall, Castle Clinton, Grant Memorial, Hamilton Grange, Theodore Roosevelt's Birthplace, and Sagamore Hill to the previously authorized Statue of Liberty National Monument, whose boundaries were extended to include Ellis Island. Seven Presidents of the United States were honored by the addition of areas to the System during this period, strengthening a trend that continues today. The Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D. C., was authorized in 1934, followed in 1935 by Andrew Johnson's Home and Tailor Shop in Greeneville, Tennessee. The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt at Hyde Park, New York, was designated a National Historic Site in 1944 and his summer home on Campobello Island, Canada, was established as the Roosevelt-Campobello International Park in 1964, owned and administered by a special joint United States-Canadian Commission. The Adams House in Quincy, Massachusetts, became a National Historic Site in 1946. Theodore Roosevelt's Birthplace in downtown Manhattan and Sagamore Hill, his home at Oyster Bay, were given to the United States in 1962. The Grant Memorial was added to the System in 1958 and Lincoln's Boyhood Home in Indiana in 1962. Finally, the White House itself, by authorization of Congress and consent of the President, was made subject to the National Park Service enabling act in 1961. Each area makes its own unique contribution to the Family Tree but considerations of space preclude much further comment. The number of historic sites and buildings representing Westward Expansion increased from 6 to 22 during this period. They include seven early forts extending across the west from Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Fort Davis, Texas, to Fort Union, New Mexico, and Fort Vancouver, Washington. Sites which commemorate the history of westward migration include Cumberland Gap in Virginia-Tennessee-Kentucky, and Chimney Rock near the Oregon Trail in Nebraska, the McLoughlin House, Oregon, Whitman Mission, Washington, and the Homestead National Monument, Nebraska. A beginning was also made in preserving sites representing commercial and industrial history, including Salem Maritime, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, Hopewell Village, an early ironmaking community in Pennsylvania, and the home and laboratory of Thomas Edison. During this period the historic preservation program was also extended well beyond the boundaries of the National Park System. The Historic American Buildings Survey was the first Service venture of this kind, organized in 1933 upon the initiative of Mr. Charles E. Peterson of the National Park Service in cooperation with officials of the Library of Congress and the American Institute of Architects. Since 1933 the HABS has gathered more than 30,000 measured drawings, 40,000 photographs, and 13,000 pages of documentation for more than 13,000 of the Nation's historic buildings. The HABS has had a deep and pervasive influence on the entire historic preservation movement, enormously benefiting scholarship as well as the preservation and restoration of individual monuments and historic districts. The staff of the National Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings, organized after passage of the Historic Sites Act in 1935, has been the principal originator of professional recommendations to the Director, the Secretary, the Advisory Board, and Congress for the addition of Historical Areas to the National Park System. Beginning in 1960, however, the responsibilities of this Survey staff were greatly extended to include recommendation of an important series of National Historic Landmarks, officially designated by the Secretary of the Interior. On October 9, 1960 Secretary of the Interior Fred A. Seaton announced the first official list of 92 historic sites and buildings eligible for designation as National Historic Landmarks. Almost a thousand Historic Landmarks situated throughout the United States, almost all of them in non-federal ownership, have been designated during the past ten years. The Inter-Agency Archaeological Salvage Program was organized by the National Park Service in 1946 at the request of the Committee for Recovery of Archaeological Remains to coordinate the salvage of irreplaceable pre-historic and historic Indian artifacts from projected reservoir sites in river valleys throughout the United States, before flooding. This program, which has been conducted for a quarter of a century in cooperation with the Smithsonian Institution and universities, museums, and research institutions throughout the country, has enormously deepened knowledge of American prehistory. Officials of the National Park Service joined with other preservationists in 1949 to help launch the National Trust for Historic Preservation, chartered by Congress to further the national historic preservation policy set forth in the Historic Sites Act by encouraging greater public participation by the private sector in preservation work. The Secretary of the Interior is designated by statute as an ex-officio trustee. The National Trust has become the major national focus for citizen sentiment and opinion on historic preservation in the United States. Through these varied means the National Park Service reached out between 1933 and 1964, in accordance with its charter in the Historic Sites Act, to influence historic preservation not only at the national level, but also in States and communities throughout the country. Continue >>>
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