An Interview with Robert M. Utley on the History of Historic Preservation in the National Park Service—1947-1980

AN INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT M. UTLEY ON THE HISTORY OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE—1947-1980
by Richard W. Sellars and Melody Webb
September 24, 1985 - December 27, 1985

APPENDIX A
EXAMPLES OF NPS DEFICIENCIES
IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION

Antietam

Visitor center constructed intrusively on prominent hilltop in the midst of the battlefield.

Piper Farm, center of Confederate position, acquired in 1960s, allowed to deteriorate to uninhabitable condition requiring major rehabilitation. Farm outbuildings verge on collapse.

Appomattox

Store fixtures of Meeks Store painted, covering an original 1860 finish, in order to make them look better.

Arlington House

Painting contract let without inspection of building fabric. Now a new roof has to be installed, and newly painted cutters, conductors, and other building parts will have to be renewed and repainted.

Big Bend

Systematic program of demolishing all old buildings in the park nearly completed before local citizen protest intervened.

Cape Cod

Two historic homes are vacant and not being maintained because they are surplus to park needs.

Castillo de San Marcos

NPS paved leaking terreplain with "Laycold," a glaring white asphaltic coating not historic in texture, color, or appearance. Now it looks like a tennis court, and the leaks continue.

C & O Canal

Towpath at Little Slackwater was carved from solid rock rising steeply from the river. It was eight to ten feet wide. NPS decided that it should be widened to accommodate automobiles. Cliff was blasted out and towpath widened to thirty or more feet, then paved with concrete.

Structures on upper section of canal have not been maintained because "they are going to be restored sometime." Many lock houses that were mothballed in the middle 1960s are now all but lost because of lack of maintenance.

Storm-weakened Catoctin Aqueduct collapsed because of failure over a period of a year and a half after the storm to apply recommended emergency measures, especially clearance of debris pressing against the foundations. Other aqueducts and culverts along the canal suffer similar dangerous pressures from debris.

Chaco Canyon

Richard Wetherill buildings demolished because they were an eyesore, unsafe, and not central to the park story.

Cumberland Gap

Segments of historic Cumberland Road paved.

Custer Battlefield

Parking lot placed on Reno Hill battle lines.

Edison

Although early portions of the house were gray, red was its color in its final form as form as completed by Edison. Management decision returned the color to gray despite emphatic professional opposition.

El Morro

NPS decided to remove all "modern" inscriptions from historic Inscription Rock. Laborer entrusted with the assignment removed the name of Kit Carson.

Fort Jefferson

Because of maintenance expense, the brick barracks buildings were demolished and the refuse dumped in the ocean. They were so solidly built that demolition cost more than preservation would have, and in addition the dynamite explosions sent damaging shocks through the masonry of the rest of the fort.

Fort Lararie

Experiments with new type foam fire extinguisher in a furnished historic buildings ruined all fabric materials.

Ruins of old hospital used for riprapping along the Laramie River, with explanation that the ruins were a hazard to the visitor.

Fort McHenry

Master plan proposal for removal of all additions after War of 1812, which would have resulted in the destruction of more than half the original fabric.

Gettysburg

Visitor center constructed intrusively on main Union battle line.

McLean house, important battlefield feature, acquired in 1960s, allowed to deteriorate to uninhabitatble condition.

Remains of historic Rose Barn, prominent battlefield landmark, allowed to fall down.

Grand Teton

Systematic destruction, without professional evaluation and over professional protest, of dozens of historic structures associated with ranching, homestead, and early tourist periods. Menor's Ferry and Cunningham Cabin survived only because of expressed interest of Rockefellers.

Grant-Kohrs

Replaced original tin roof with a cedar shake roof to match another roof.

Harpers Ferry

Trees and shrubs planted on sites of vanished buildings, thus destroying archeological evidence as well as introducing exotics where buildings once stood.

Herbert Hoover

Color of Dr. Leach House changed from white to gray-green even though it has always been white.

Independence

Reconstructions have become a way of life, one tending to justify the next: New Hall, Pemberton House, Graff House, City Tavern, Walnut Street Houses, Market Street facaca. In its initial planning, however, NPS demolished many historically and architecturally important buildings to open up the park and thus give it a visual aspect it never had.

First Bank of the United States cleaned with a product containing acid, a violation of an elementary principle of historic preservation. Ten years later the brick wails are still flaking.

Isle Royale

Demolition by neglect of John Linklater Cabin, Island Mine Powderhouse ruin, Minong Blacksmith cabin ruins, and Minong Stamp Mill. These were regarded as priortiy of preservatcn by the park and featured in interpretive literature. They were allowed to become so deteriorated as to be beyond repair and authority was granted to remove them.

JNEM

Adaptive restoration of Old Courthouse without historic structures report.

Disappearance of remains of Manual Lisa Warehouse, dismantled during construction of arch, but planned to be rebuilt.

Lincoln Memorial

Despite repeated and vigorous professional objections, the contractor for cleaning the Lincoln Memorial was permitted to use sandblasting of 7,000 square feet of the marble columns, a process that detracted at least 20 years from the life of the structure.

Mesa Verde

Two non-masonry sites excavated on Wetherill Mesa in 1962-63 were cofered with temporary shelters pending erection of permanent shelters to protect the resource and provide interpretation. The temporary coverings still have not been replaced, and ten years of weathering have all but destroyed the fragile remains.

Moores Creek

Earthworks reconstructed without historical and archeological research and without professional supervision.

Morristown

Bulldozing of remains of Fort Nonsense.

Kings Mountain

Decision to let the 1203 Hauser House melt away because not part of the park story. It is now being restored, although much of the interior and structural integrity has been lost.

Ozarks

Systematic demolition of old buildings without professional consultation. Some 800 such buildings were destroyed. Now there a proposal to reconstruct a typical Ozark village similar to one elsewhere that was destroyed.

Rocky Mountain

Loss of historic Harbison Ranch complex. Request for authority to demolish the last three buildings cited loss of remaining eighteen (which NPS allowed to collapse) and intrusion on historic scene of a maintenance yard (which NPS put there).

Salem Maritime

Proposal to adapt unique 1670 Narbonne House to residential purposes in violation of legislative history and sound planning (i.e. it is not readily adaptable).

Demolition of Central and Derby Wharf warehouses, former by the Navy with NPS permission, latter by NPS. Now NPS wants to reconstruct the Central Wharf warehouse for interpretation even though the Bonded Warehouse, across the street, is not used at all and is in good condition.

San Juan

Passage opened between two casements to provide a door that was never there, thus destroying historic walls and also the only surviving gun cabinet in the fort. A similar project, not involving a gun cabinet, destroyed walls in San Caries Bastion.

Removal of a 19th-century earthfill from a parapet to solve a drainage problem which could have been more readily corrected by other means.

Saratoga

Reconstruction of British redoubts without research.

Siding under the ketches of the 1785 Schuyler House was never painted, but local management painted it "to finish the restoration."

Saucus

Master plan calls far accommodating a phony 17-century structure now used as a museum but not the genuine Mansfield House, dating from c. 1810, one of the few original historic structures on the site.

Scotts Bluff

Residence built adjacent to Oregon Trail remains in Mitchell Pass and in location to obscure pass from museum.

St Gaudens

The three major buildings have structural weaknesses. The Memorial Trustees, despairing of NPS action, used their own funds to repair the house, porch, and roof, using their own architect and contractor. The results do not meet NPS standards.

Theodore Roosevelt (N.D.)

Master plan proposes: reconstruction of Elkhorn Ranch that will violate criteria for reconstructions, no effort to preserve an existing ranch complex of the same period, a campground that will endanger a major historical-archeolcgical site.

William Howard Taft

Demolition of Cross building, adjacent to Taft House and contemporary with it, in order to provide visitor parking, thus leaving Taft building almost free standing whereas historically it was part of a continuous row of large homes. Parking could have been provided behind the Cross building, which itself could have been used for park facilities. Now preservation of Taft home is made difficult because parts of it must be used for offices, maintenance facilities, and community meeting rooms.

Vanderbilt Mansion

Demolition of historic greenhouse because too difficult and expensive to maintain.

Yorktown

Superintendent's residence built to command scenic view but on American line fortifications. Now, as part of Bicentennial program, NPS is requesting money to remove it from this site.

Last Modified: Mon, Mar 22 2004 10:00:00 pm PDT
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