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Chapter
III - The General Management Plan
The general management
plan for Whitman Mission National Historic Site was selected from four
draft alternatives following a public review process. The general management
plan provides for the optimal protection of the national historic site
and enhanced visitor experience. The following information describes
the actions that constitute the general management plan.
General
Description of the Plan
Several actions
are proposed in the general management plan which will provide for the
protection and enhancement of cultural, natural, and scenic resources.
Some actions also involve the enhancement of visitor facilities and
interpretive programming; others enhance administrative and operational
capabilities both in terms of facilities and staffing. Finally, specific
measures in land protection are proposed, that, if implemented, will
assist in the protection of agricultural land and the rural, open space
character of the surrounding area.
Actions
to be Incorporated into the Plan
The following actions
will be incorporated into the general management plan for Whitman Mission
National Historic Site:
- Required occupancy
(Category I Housing) - The park would continue to provide onsite housing
to serve as a deterrence to crimes against park resources and timely
response to emergencies outside normal working hours. The required
occupancy requirement would be in addition to any other appropriate
on-site security and safety measures (such as lighting and motion
sensors).
- NPS interpretive
programs - As funding and staff are available, NPS interpretive programs
would be expanded outside of Whitman Mission NHS. This could include
school programs, electronic media, organizations, and other educational
program development outside the boundary of the park. Multiple program
themes would be developed including, but not limited to, the Oregon
Trail and pioneer history, the mission period and mission life, interaction
between early settlers and the Cayuse people, Cayuse people and customs,
the establishment of the Oregon Territory, the relationship of Whitman
Mission NHS to other historical sites in the Pacific Northwest Region
of the United States, the National Park System, and other topics.
The park would develop and implement a plan to provide persons with
disabilities, the opportunity to experience as many park interpretive
programs as possible.
- Memorial Hill
photographic panorama - For persons with disabilities or others who
are unable to ascend and descend Memorial Hill, a photographic panorama
would be made available at the visitor center to provide visitors
with a scene of what a 360 degree view is like from the top of the
hill.
- Oregon Trail
sites-The NHS staff would seek rapport of purpose between the NHS
and other areas whose interpretive theme is westward settlement as
a means to complement each other and assure continuity of purpose
and thought for the visitors. This cooperation would not be confined
to NPS administered parks and sites.
- Natural resource
inventory - The staff at Whitman Mission NHS would complete the NPS
Natural Resource Inventory and Monitoring Program themes for "Level
I" inventories (baseline data) according to NPS-75, the NPS guideline
for inventory and monitoring.
- Natural processes
- The NHS staff would allow natural processes to occur on land and
river environs so long as the effects do not adversely impact cultural
resources and existing public facilities.
- Traveler information
- The Whitman Mission NHS staff would provide traveler information
about other historic sites, camping, points of interest, and information
to the visiting public, at, or in proximity to, the visitor center
desk.
- Video discs -
In cooperation with the Harpers Ferry Center, NHS staff would locate
"master" film copies of movies made for Whitman Mission
NHS, and place them on video discs for future use and as archive copies
for both the Harpers Ferry Center and NHS archives. It would provide
a better format for archive purposes.
- Whitman Mission
NHS Friends Group - The staff at Whitman Mission NHS would encourage
the establishment of a park "friends" group to assist Whitman
Mission NHS in a variety of activities and programs.
- School reservation
system - Staff at the NHS would institute a reservation system for
school groups in order to better serve the educational community by
assuring that NHS staff are available.
- Safety training
- The NPS would encourage each permanent NHS employee to have a minimum
amount of first aid and CPR training, benefiting both staff and visitors
alike.
- Community outreach
and education - Through community outreach, the staff at Whitman Mission
NHS would help the surrounding landowners and larger community better
appreciate the important historic resources they have in their own
"back yard", to provide opportunities for area residents
to assist the NHS in protecting the historic setting, and to participate
in NHS programs, events, and other activities.
- Re-establishment
of Doan Creek - Doan Creek would be established to its historic free-flowing
condition through the NHS. Actions, such as the planting of native
hardwood trees and shrub species, would be undertaken.
- Native plants
- Existing non-native trees and shrubs would be replaced with native
species when they die except for those plants that have an historic
association with the Whitmans.
- Reprinting the
NPS handbook, Whitman Mission-This NPS handbook was printed in 1964
and is now unavailable to visitors. A publishing source and funding
would be found to reprint the book.
Management
Zones
In the general management
plan, five management zones will be established within the NHS. First,
in recognition of the fact that the entire NHS is included on the National
Register of Historic Places and was established for its cultural and
historical significance, three historic zones will be identified which
incorporate the majority of the park. The first historic zone, Historic-Commemorative,
will include the Memorial Hill and Great Grave. Since the Memorial Shaft
and the Great Grave were established to memorialize the Whitmans, the
setting for the visitor will be contemplative and commemorative. The
second historic zone, Historic-Interpretive, will include the Mission
Grounds. The setting for the visitor will be one of active interpretation
of the Mission Grounds illustrating the life of the Whitmans and the
Mission Period. A third historic zone, Historic-Setting, includes the
river oxbow and pasture area. This zone is intended to convey to the
visitor a sense of the historic setting and pastoral character.
A Natural Zone will
be established along the northern boundary of the NHS and includes the
wetlands, channels, and floodplains of Doan Creek and Mill Creek. This
zone will be consistent with the historic scene.
Finally, a Park
Development Zone will be established that includes the visitor center
area, main parking lot, maintenance area, and access roads. (See Figure
4, Management Zoning.)
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