News Release

National Park Service Seeks Public Input as it Considers Childhood Home of President George W. Bush for National Park Designation

Date: December 29, 2020
Contact: IMR News

DENVER, COLO. –  The National Park Service is pleased to announce the launch of a special resource study of the George W. Bush Childhood Home located at 1412 West Ohio Avenue, Midland, Texas. The Bush family, which included two future presidents—George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush and a first lady—Barbara Pierce Bush, lived in the home between November 1951 and November 1955. A special resource study investigates the eligibility of an area for designation as a new unit of the National Park System.

The National Park Service invites the public to attend a virtual meeting on Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 6:30pm (CST) to learn more about the George W. Bush Childhood Home Special Resource Study.

The purpose of this meeting is for the study team to explain the study process and answer questions from participants attending the meeting. A link to join this meeting will be made available on the project website https://parkplanning.nps.gov/GWBush under the “Meeting Notices” tab. For those who cannot attend the live, online event, a video recording of the meeting presentation will be posted on the project website in the days following the meeting.

In 2015, the National Park Service completed a reconnaissance survey of the George W. Bush Childhood Home to provide a preliminary evaluation of the property as a potential new unit of the national park system. The survey found that further analysis through a congressionally authorized special resource study was warranted. The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act of 2019 directed the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the George W. Bush Childhood Home to evaluate its national significance and determine the suitability and feasibility of designating it as a unit of the national park system.

The National Park Service will evaluate the property using congressionally established criteria for national significance, suitability, feasibility, and the need for direct NPS management. Based on the analysis, the National Park Service will determine whether the site meets the criteria for inclusion in the national park system. The Secretary of the Interior will then submit the findings and a recommendation to Congress. More information about the study process and frequently asked questions can be found on the project website https://parkplanning.nps.gov/GWBush.

How to Submit Comments.

The National Park Service seeks to learn the public’s ideas and opinions about the George W. Bush Childhood Home at 1412 West Ohio Avenue, Midland, Texas. The public is invited to contribute to the initial phase of the study process by sharing input and feedback about the home. This includes responding to the following questions:

  1. What is important or unique about the George W. Bush Childhood Home as it relates to the life of George W. Bush?

  2. What is your vision for the George W. Bush Childhood Home? How would you like to see the site managed? What types of activities and experiences do you want to see as part of the site’s future?

  3. Do you have any ideas or concerns that the National Park Service should be aware of and/or address in the study process?

  4. Do you have any other ideas or comments you would like to share with us?

Feedback and responses to the above questions can be submitted in the following ways:

  • By mail: send written comments to the following mailing address:

National Park Service, c/o Carrie MillerDenver Service Center – Planning Division 12795 West Alameda Parkway P.O. Box 25287 Denver, CO 80225-0287

The comment period will be open through February 28, 2021.

For further information, please contact Carrie Miller, project manager, at the NPS Denver Service Center at 303-969-2575, or Becky Rinas, NPS Regional Office liaison, at 720-600-1092.

Project status updates and requests for feedback will be shared on the project website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/GWBush.



Last updated: December 29, 2020