National Park Service History Collection RG 23
Preliminary Inventory
A. Provenance
The Mission 66 materials came from many different accessions. Some came from WASO and areas like Death Valley and Mesa Verde. Much came from individuals involved in Mission 66 planning and promotion, including Lon Garrison, Conrad Wirth, Ronald Lee, Herb Evison, Ben Thompson, and Ray Freeman. Non-Park Service people have contributed papers and articles.
Much of the material was generated by the Park Service for employee use. Some of the progress reports are stamped "For In House Use Only." There are also materials used to explain the program to the public, both government and industry sponsored. Several magazine articles increased the publicity. Mission 66 was in force from 1956 to 1966 with planning initiated in 1955. Several retrospective studies, articles, and papers have been published since 1966 and this program will undoubtedly continue to be investigated in the future.
B. History
Mission 66 was a ten-year developmental program that was largely the brainchild of Director Conrad Wirth. When he took over in December 1951, the parks were experiencing booming travel but deteriorating resources. A housing survey undertaken by the National Park Women's Organization in 1952 and 53 helped point the way. An October 1953 article by Bernard DeVoto calling for the parks to be closed was a catalyst. Work on a Mission 66 proposal began in 1955. It was presented to a cabinet meeting on January 27, 1956, and given a green light.
The physical development that resulted from Mission 66 are the most visual reminders. Mission 66 construction involved roads, camping and picnic areas, sanitary facilities, housing, and visitor centers. Every park in the system had one or more construction projects. Yet museum exhibits, informational pamphlets, and audio-visual programs also were developed as a result of Mission 66. It greatly increased the personnel running the parks. Mission 66 was supposed to be completed in 1966, the 50th anniversary of the National Park Service. However, it did not long survive its creator and only follow-up work was done under George B. Hartzog, Jr., who became Director in January 1964.
The memoranda, steering committee files, and reports contained in this material give a fairly clear history of the early days. Mission 66 was a WASO program, with much input from the field. In February 1955, Director Wirth presented his idea to the staff and a Mission 66 Task Force was formed comprised of William Carnes, Harold Smith, Robert Coates, Jack Dodd, Roy Appleman, Ray Freeman, and Howard Stagner. The task force undertook considerable study, touching all bases - field, region, universities and other agencies - before producing a final Mission 66 report in January 1956. A Mission 66 Steering Committee headed by Lon Garrison also helped with the planning. The Mission 66 plan aimed at bringing the whole system up-to-date by 1966. As detailed above, White House support was obtained at the January 27, 1956, Cabinet meeting. The formal inauguration of Mission 66 took place at a American Pioneer Dinner on February 8, 1956. Congress increased the National Park Service appropriation and Mission 66 monies became available July 1, 1956. Funds eventually totalled over $900,000,000. Mission 66 became a milestone in National Park Service history.
C. Scope and contents
There are (1986) 3 1/2 archival boxes of foldered material, a planning book, 4 archival boxes of Mission 66 brochures, 8 notebooks, and a half archival box plus an expanding folder of photos.
D. Dispersal
The slide collection contains slides from the Mission 66 shows. Many oral histories bear on Mission 66 as do parts of published books. The Courier files from the 50s and 60s also have much information on Mission 66. Conrad Wirth's book Parks, Politics and the People is an important source.
E. Folders
Series I - Higher Echelon
Cabinet Meeting - Mission 66 Presentation, January 27, 1956
General Statement of Director Wirth before Senate Appropriations Subcommittee, 1963
Series II - Steering Committee
Unmarked folder - Steering Committee Mission 66 Reports Monthly Reading File - Steering Committee Mission 66, March 1955
Monthly Reading File - Steering Committee Mission 66, April 1955
Monthly Reading File - Steering Committee Mission 66, June 1955
Monthly Reading File - Steering Committee Mission 66, August 1955
Monthly Reading File - Steering Committee Mission 66, September 1955
Monthly Reading File - Steering Committee Mission 66, October 1955
Monthly Reading File - Steering Committee Mission 66, November 1955
Monthly Reading File - Steering Committee Mission 66, January 1956
Monthly Reading File - Steering Committee Mission 66, February 1956
Monthly Reading File - Mission 66 Steering Committee, March-April 1956
Monthly Reading File - Mission 66 Steering Committee, May-June 1956
Monthly Reading File - Mission 66 Steering Committee, July-November 1956
Series III - Advisory Committee
Mission 66 Advisory Committee, L. A. Garrison - 1956
Memorandum and Report on 6th Meeting of Mission 66 Advisory Committee, San Francisco, October 9-10, 1958
Series IV - Planning
Planning Book Mission 66, 1957-1966 - Control Schedules 1964-1974, (Revised April 1963)
Series V - Booklets
Booklet - Facts About Mission 66
Booklet - The Need for Mission 66 - May 1956
Booklet - Mission 66 in Action, A Report on Three Years of Mission 66
Booklet - Mission 66 in Action, A Report on the First Year of Mission 66
Booklet - Mission 66 Questions and Answers - Duplicated by Region 4 Office
Booklet - Your Mission 66 and the National Parks, A Passport to Adventure, Phillips Petroleum Company
Booklet - Your National Park System, A Passport to Adventure, Phillips Petroleum Company
Series VI - Memoranda
Unmarked folder - Mission 66 Memoranda
Mission 66 Memoranda 1 to 5
Memorandum - Telling the Story of Mission 66, February 1959
Series VII - Reports
Mission 66 Report - September 1955
Mission 66 for the National Park System - January 1956
Mission 66 Progress Report - April 1961
Mission 66 Report - ca 1961
Mission 66 Progress Report, October 1963
Visitor Centers Progress Report, February 5, 1964
Mission 66 Progress Report, March 1966
Series VIII - Information
Binder - Questions and Answers on Mission 66
Memorandum and Script - New Slide Program for Mission 66, February 1956
Outline for Mission 66 In-Service Training Meeting - February 20, 1958
Mission 66 Program Scripts
Information Paper - Park Development Progress During the First Five Years of Mission 66 in Terms of Park Purpose and Value
Mission 66 Program Statement, 1959-1966
Memorandum - Events of 1966 in National Park Service
Mission 66 Information in General
Series IX - Speeches
Speeches - Mission 66
Speeches and Remarks - Mission 66
Remarks by Director Wirth at Mission 66 Frontiers Conference, April 24, 1961
Remarks by Director Wirth at Dedication of new Visitor Center at Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, May 14, 1961
Talk - Progress on Mission 66, Edward A. Hummel, 16 Annual California and Pacific Southwest Rec. and Park Conference, February 25, 1964
Series X - Conferences
Program Booklet - Park Development Conference September 1957
Report of the Mission 66 Frontiers Conference, 1961
Series XI - Articles and Publications
Yosemite Nature Notes, September 1957 - "Some Aspects of Mission 66, Part I"
Yosemite Nature Notes, October 1957 - "Some Aspects of Mission 66, Part II
Yosemite Nature Notes, November 1957 - "Happy Isles Nature Center, A Mission 66 Project"
National Parks Magazine - January-March 1958 Publication - NPS and AAA - The National Park System Present and Future, December 1954
Publication - The National Park System, 1955
Publication - Our Heritage
Publication - That Our Past Shall Live
Article - "Mission 66, A Program to Develop Our National Parks," by Elbert Cox, Virginia Forests, January 1960
Clipping - "Mission 66: To Make Your Civil War Tour More Enjoyable, Civil War Times, June 1961, p. 12-14
Historic Preservation, July-August 1966 - "Mission 66 and Parkscape," Director George B. Hartzog, Jr.
National Geographic, July 1966 - 3 articles on National Parks, Mission 66
Series XII - General (including files kept by individuals)
"Adv. and Rec. 1955," [containing Mission 66 Papers, Clippings, Etc. - 1955-56]
Mission 66 Material - 1955-6
Mission 66 Folder - 1955-56
Mission 66 - Miscellaneous
Director and Conservationists - Correspondence, Mission 66
Folder - Mission 66 [kept by Museum Branch]
Recommendations made by Regional Director and Chiefs, Service Centers - 1958 and 59
Folder - Mission 66
Mission 66 - Mr. Freeman's File, 1958-1961
Copy of Revised Tape - Mission 66 in Action, Number 4, 1958-9
Series XIII - Miscellaneous
Program with Seating List - American Pioneer Dinner, February 8, 1956, Washington, D. C.
Paper - Policy and Practice in the National Park Service by Conrad L. Wirth
Mission 66 Reappraisal Statement of Aviation Task Force - March 15, 1961
Binder of Mission 66 Architectures Post Mission 66 Planning
[Slide Script] - The Golden Anniversary of the National Park Service
A Brief History and Description of the National Park System, National Park Service 50th Anniversary - 1916-1966
Series XIV - Theses, Histories
Thesis - Mission 66, A Case Study, Bob Gray
Mission 66 Revisited, Thesis - Mission 66 An Example of the Bureaucratic Process by William K. Jones, interview of Conrad L. Wirth by William K. Jones on Mission 66
Proposed Mission 66 Article - Founders Day, 1976, Courier
Series XV - Mission 66 Brochures (Folders)
Archives Boxes - Mission 66, Index Folders 1-67, Folders 68-119 Index Attached)
1. ABRAHAM LINCOLN National Historical Park
2. ACADIA National Park
3. ANDREW JOHNSON National Monument
4. ANTIETAM NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD Site and Cemetery
5. APPOMATTOX COURT HOUSE National Historical Park
6. ARCHES National Monument
7. AZTEC RUINS National Monument
8. BADLANDS National Monument
9. BANDELIER National Monument
10. BIG BEND National Park
11. BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON National Monument
12. BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
13. BRYCE CANYON National Park
14. CABRILLO National Monument
15. CANYON DE CHELLY National Monument
16. CAPE HATTERAS National Seashore
17. CAPITOL REEF National Monument
18. CAPULIN MOUNTAIN National Monument
19. CASA GRANDE National Monument
20. CHALMETTE National Historical Park
21. CHICKAMAUGA AND CHATTANOOGA National Military Park
22. COLONIAL National Historical Park
23. CORONADO National Memorial
24. COWPENS National Battlefield Site
25. CUMBERLAND GAP National Historical Park
26. CUSTER BATTLEFIELD National Monument
27. CASTILLO DE SAN MARCOS National Monument
28. CASTLE CLINTON National Monument
29. CEDAR BREAKS National Monument
30. CHACO CANYON National Monument
31. CHIRICAHUA National Monument
32. COLORADO National Monument
33. COULEE DAM National Recreation Area
34. DEVILS TOWER National Monument
35. EFFIGY MOUNDS National Monument
36. EVERGLADES National Park
37. FEDERAL HALL National Memorial
38. FORT CAROLINE National Memorial
39. FORT FREDERICA National Monument
40. FORT MATANZAS National Monument
41. FORT NECESSITY National Battlefield Site
42. FORT PULASKI National Monument
43. FORT RALEIGH National Historic Site
44. FORT SUMTER National Monument
45. FORT VANCOUVER National Monument
46. FREDERICKSBURG & SPOTSYLVANIA National Military Park
47. GEORGE WASHINGTON BIRTHPLACE National Monument
48. GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER National Monument
49. GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER National Monument
50. GETTYSBURG National Military Park
51. GLACIER National Park
52. GRAN QUIVIRA National Monument
53. GREAT SAND DUNES National Monument
54. GUILFORD COURTHOUSE National Military Park
55. HAWAII National Park
56. HOME OF FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT National Historic Site
57. HOMESTEAD National Monument
58. HOMESTEAD National Monument
59. HOT SPRINGS National Park
60. HOVENWEEP National Monument
61. JEWEL CAVE National Monument
62. JOSHUA TREE National Monument
63. KATMAI National Monument
64. KENNESAW MOUNTAIN National Battlefield Park
65. KINGS MOUNTAIN National Military Park
66. LAKE MEAD National Recreation Area
67. LAVA BEDS National Monument
68. LEHMAN CAVES National Monument
69. MONTEZUMA CASTLE National Monument
70. MOORES CREEK National Military Park
71. MORRISTOWN National Historical Park
72. MOUND CITY GROUP National Monument
73. MOUNT MC KINLEY National Park
74. MOUNT RAINIER National Park
75. MOUNT RUSHMORE National Memorial
76. MUIR WOODS National Memorial
77. NATCHEZ TRACE PARKWAY
78. NATURAL BRIDGES National Monument
79. NAVAJO National Monument
80. OCMULGEE National Monument
81. OLD ST. LOUIS RIVERFRONT 1763-1960
82. OLYMPIC National Park
83. OREGON CAVES National Monument
84. ORGAN PIPE CACTUS National Monument
85. PERRY'S VICTORY AND INTERNATIONAL PEACE MEMORIAL National Monument
86. PETERSBURG National Military Park
87. PINNACLES National Monument
88. PIPE SPRING National Monument
89. PIPESTONE National Monument
90. PLATT National Park
91. RICHMOND National Battlefield Park
92. ROCKY MOUNTAIN National Park
93. SAGUARO National Monument
94. SALEM MARITIME National Historic Site
95. SAN JUAN National Historic Site
96. SARATOGA National Historical Park
97. SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON National Parks
98. SHADOW MOUNTAIN National Recreation Area
99. SHENANDOAH National Park
100. SHILOH National Military Park
101. SITKA AND GLACIER BAY National Monuments
102. STONES RIVER National Military Park
103. THEODORE ROOSEVELT National Memorial Park
104. TIMPANOGOS CAVE National Monument
105. TONTO National Monument
106. TUMACACORI National Monument
107. TUZIGOOT National Monument
108. VANDERBILT MANSION National Historic Site
109. VICKSBURG National Military Park
110. VIRGIN ISLANDS National Historic Site
111. WALNUT CANYON National Monument
112. WHITE SANDS National Monument
113. WHITMAN MISSION National Monument
114. WRIGHT BROTHERS National Memorial
115. WIND CAVE National Park
116. YOSEMITE National Park
117. YUCCA HOUSE National Monument
118. ZION National Park
119. JEFFERSON NATIONAL EXPANSION MEMORIAL National Historic Site
2 Other Boxes Brochures - Chief one missing from index but in Box 4
Yellowstone
Series XVI - Mission 66 Notebooks ("Red notebooks")
Mission 66 Hs Book I
Mission 66 Reports, Book II
Mission 66 Talks, Book III (also clippings)
Mission 66 Press Releases, Book V
Mission 66 Reappraisal, Natural History, Personnel
Recreation Resources, Book VII
Mission 66 Preliminary Legislative, Statistics, operations, Maintenance, Book VIII
Mission 66 Safety HABS, Inter., Parks, Ranger Activities, Corollary, Book IX
Mission 66 (Return to H. G. Smith)
Series XVII - Photos
Carnes Staff Photos with 2 Slides of Mission 66 Sign
Folder - Dedication Photos
Mission 66 Dedications - 1958
Mission 66 Dedications - 1959
Mission 66 Dedications - 1960
Mission 66 Justification Photos
Folder - Dedication Photos
Mission 66 Dedications - 1960
Mission 66 Justification Photos