Guide to the NPS Park Reports Collection

This finding aid describes the National Park Service (NPS) Park Reports Collection, part of the NPS History Collection. To search this guide for names, places, key words, or phrases enter Ctrl + F on your keyboard (command key + F key on a Mac). Request an in-person research appointment or get more information by contacting the archivist.

Collection Overview

Collection Number: HFCA 1645 (Series VI.C)
Creator: National Park Service
Title: National Park Service Park Reports Collection
Dates: 1916-2014 (Bulk dates: 1950s-1990s)
Extent of Collection: 6,032 EA
Language of Materials: English

Digital Access: The collection has not been digitized.

Conditions Governing Access: This collection is open to research use. See the NPS general copyright & restrictions information.
Provenance: This collection was received from the NPS Harpers Ferry Center Library in April 2018.
Processing Note: This material was processed and described by Katelyn Kean and Jackie Coon in May 2018. The finding aid was updated by Nancy Russell in June 2025.

Rights Statement for Archival Description: This guide is in the public domain.
Preferred Citation: National Park Service Park Reports Collection (HFCA 1645), NPS History Collection
Location of Repository: NPS History Collection, Harpers Ferry Center, PO Box 50, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425

Related Materials:

• NPS Cultural Resources Bibliography Collection, NPS History Collection (HFCA 1645)
• Cultural Resource Bibliography materials at the NPS Western Archeological Conservation Center.

Administrative History Note

NPS Director's Order 28 (Cultural Resource Management Guideline) required parks and programs to send a copy of NPS-produced or funded cultural resource management reports to Harpers Ferry Center (HFC). Although not explicitly stated this way, HFC was designated as a repository in the order because it manages what was called the NPS Archives (now the NPS History Collection).

Earlier program managers decided to include the reports and gray literature in the HFC library rather than in the NPS History Collection. HFC library staff assembled this collection over several decades from direct submissions of reports from cultural resource management staff at parks, regional offices, the NPS Washington Office, and contractors. General management plans, interpretive plans, and other types of reports were added from other sources. Within the library these reports were called the NPS Reports Collection. Library staff assigned alphanumeric numbers to each report.

The HFC library staff retired in 2007. In 2018, due to changes in how HFC accomplishes its work and lack of dedicated library staff, the library was downsized. The NPS reports were transferred to the NPS History Collection in April 2018.

Scope and Content Note

Publications and gray literature related to historical themes, cultural and natural resources, interpretation, and management of NPS sites. Common NPS plans such as general management plans; master plans; statements for management; park and program management evaluations; environmental impact statements; historic furnishing plans; historic resource studies; archeological reports; museum collection management plans; exhibit plans; cultural landscape reports; resource management plans; administrative histories; and interpretive plans and prospectuses are prevalent. Includes proposals to establish national park units.

Arrangement

Arranged alphanumerically by HFC library report number.

Report List

This table uses common NPS park, program, and regional office codes. To find the code for specific parks or programs, see Historic Listing of NPS Park, Program, and Office Codes.

Missing report numbers indicate that the report was not present when the collection was transferred to the NPS History Collection. Use the search box to the right to search within the table only.

List of NPS Park Reports

Report Number	Title	Date

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