Historic Preservation Training Center        

 

                 

National Park Service                       U.S. Department of Interior

 

Mailing Address:

Historic Preservation Training Center   National Park Service     4801A Urbana Pike Frederick, MD  21704

Telephone #:                  301-663-8206                  Fax #:                                301-663-8032

Regular Business Hours: 8:00 - 5:00 M-F

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  HPTC Mission Statement

 

 

 

The Historic Preservation Training Center (HPTC) is dedicated to the safe preservation and maintenance of national parks or partner facilities by demonstrating outstanding leadership, delivering quality preservation services, and developing educational courses that fulfill the competency requirements of Service employees in the career fields of Historic Preservation Skills, Risk Management, Maintenance, and Planning, Design, and Construction.


 

 HPTC History

                                   The HPTC was founded in  1977 to meet the growing demand for craft skills development for NPS employees tasked with preserving the thousands of historic structures within the National Park System.  In 1995, the Center joined the NPS Training and Development Division to become one of four NPS Training Centers.

 The HPTC is currently located in Frederick, Maryland.  The headquarters/administrative office is located within the Monocacy National Battlefield at the historic Gambrill House.

  The Shop is located in the historic Jenkins Cannery building in downtown Frederick. The HPTC staff and trainees currently total approximately 70.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contacts:

H. Thomas McGrath, Superintendent
Area of Responsibility: Overall Program Administration and Management
Office: (301) 663-8206 ext. 109  Fax: (301) 663-8032
Email: tom_mcgrath@nps.gov 

Chris Robinson, Deputy Superintendent
Area of Responsibility: Operations Chief and Overall Project Management
Office: (301) 663-8206 ext. 110  Fax: (301) 663-8032                                                           Email: chris_p_robinson@nps.gov

 

News and Announcements

 

Passing of HPTC Founder Jim Askins

James Stanley Askins, 79, of Wells Tannery, Pa., died Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011 at Fulton County Medical Center, Shimer Trail, in McConnellsburg, Pa., following a lengthy illness from cancer. Jim was born in Roscoe, Pa., one of 10 children of the late William Clair and Agnes Sloan Askins. He is survived by his wife, Janet Griffith Askins of Wells Tannery. Jim served in the U.S. Marines during the Korean War, and was a recipient of numerous commendations.

He retired from U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service in 1988. During his 26-year career, he had many accomplishments. Most notably, in 1977, he established and became chief of the Williamsport Preservation Training Center in Williamsport, Md. The center was designed and provided a comprehensive hands-on craft training program for project managers and maintenance working in the conservation/preservation of historic structures throughout the Department of the Interior. In 1995 the Center moved to Frederick, Maryland and became the Historic Preservation Training Center.

Under his leadership, major preservation/restoration projects were completed at many National Parks including: Grand Canyon, Harpers Ferry, Olympic, Cape Hatteras, Antietam, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, Gettysburg and Yellowstone. In 1988, as a result of his leadership and historic preservation talents, he was selected to represent the National Park Service in India working with a team on the Taj Mahal National Cultural Park Project.

Today, the Preservation Trades Network Association recognizes Jim with an annual Askins Achievement Award that recognizes an outstanding individual for extraordinary contributions in the preservation trades.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, at 11 a.m. at Knobsville United Methodist Church, 11146 Waterfall Road, McConnellsburg, PA 17233, To honor Jim's memory, the family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Fulton County Medical Center Foundation, 214 Peach Orchard Road, McConnellsburg, PA 17233, for the outstanding care and service he received while a patient, and more recently as a resident in the long-term care unit.  

 

 

Administrative Section - HPTC