Best Farm Slave Village: Future Research

The Monocacy Cultural Resources team is working on the analysis and interpretation of the artifacts and features uncovered during the 2010 and 2011 field seasons as well as research of the historic record. Often overlooked by the public, this behind-the-scenes research is vital to our understanding of the people who lived and worked at the site. The staff will be developing a report on their research findings for release in 2012.

Two important National Park Service programs were key to the success of this project: the Youth Intern Program and the Volunteers In Parks program.

Youth Intern Program (YIP)

U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar created the 21^st Century Youth Conservation Corps initiative in order to energize youth involvement on public lands and create more informed citizens and stewards of those lands. The Department seeks to engage, educate, and develop new generations of Americans with an ethic for conservation and resource stewardship.

The YIP is designed to introduce youth 15-25 years of age to career opportunities through internships related to the various NPS career fields. This program is designed to reach students early in their career decision-making process, and involve these students in real, intellectually challenging assignments that allow these students to work side-by-side with park staff on projects that provide career and educational opportunities in resource protection, research, visitor experience and other occupations at NPS sites.

Monocacy National Battlefield was fortunate to receive 2010 and 2011 YIP funding, which provided paid internships for six undergraduate and graduate students from American University, the University of Maryland (College Park), Hood College, and Howard University. The students brought diverse perspectives to the project and also conducted a symposium which helped bring their work to the attention of the public.

Volunteers in Parks (VIPs)

Volunteers in Parks work side-by-side with National Park Service employees and partners in parks from Maine to Hawaii, from Alaska to Florida, in big cities and small towns, even in remote wilderness areas. There are more than 390 national parks throughout the United States and its territories. Whether you work behind the scenes or with park visitors, VIPs make a difference by helping to connect the public with their parks.

Here at Monocacy National Battlefield, we have benefitted from a dedicated group of volunteers who staff our visitor center and help out with archeology projects. We couldn't get our jobs done as well without their support.

If you would like to volunteer at Monocacy, please contact volunteer coordinator Brett Spaulding at [phone]. A brochure on the VIP program is available.

 

Cultural Resources Staff (2010). Front row, left to right: Kate Birmingham (Field Crew Chief), Alex Bruggeman, Megan Bailey, Kelly Johnson; back row: Tom Gwaltney, Joy Beasley (Cultural Resources Program Manager), Megan Berry, Jordan Riccio, and Shayla Monroe.