News Release

National Park Service Invites Public Input on President Street Station – Special Resource Study

Surviving head house, President Street Station, Baltimore

NPS Photo

News Release Date: August 16, 2022

Contact: John Harlan Warren (for all media inquiries), 215-908-3159

Contact: Martha Droge (for all other quieries), 267-883-9779

BALTIMORE — The National Park Service (NPS) invites public input on a special resource study focusing on President Street Station in Baltimore.

Constructed between 1849 and 1850 by the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, the station spanned three city blocks and was the first to utilize George Howe’s influential trussed arch system. President Street Station is associated with the history of American railroads, enslavement and the Civil War, including Frederick Douglass’ escape from slavery, a thwarted assassination attempt on President-elect Abraham Lincoln and the 1861 Baltimore Riot which incurred the first deaths by hostile action in the Civil War.

The surviving head house is owned by the City of Baltimore and managed as a museum by the Friends of President Street Station. The NPS special resource study will assess how cultural and natural resources associated with the President Street Station’s history meet criteria for inclusion in the National Park System. A 45-day comment period will run from August 15 to September 30, 2022.

“Input from the public through the study process is critical,” said Martha Droge, NPS Region 1’s Park Planning and Special Studies Portfolio manager. “We also hope to learn more about the many events, people and technological advances associated with President Street Station. The information, interest and inquiries we receive from the public help inform our work as we assess President Street Station as a potential addition to the National Park System.”

The study was authorized by the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act of 2019, which directed the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of President Street Station. The study will evaluate the station using special resource study criteria such as national significance, suitability, feasibility and potential management strategies used to consider possible designations of additions to the National Park System. The study’s findings, along with any recommendations from the Department of the Interior, will be reported to Congress. The study is expected to run through 2023.

The NPS has prepared the following materials and events to inform the public about the study and to solicit public comment: 

• An informative newsletter (pdf) can be found on the project website here: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/PresidentStreet under the “Open for Comment” tab and then click on “Newsletter."
• An in person ‘open house’ on Thursday, August 18, 2022, from 3 to 5 pm at the President Street Station building at 601 South President Street, Baltimore, Maryland, will describe the special resource study process and answer questions. See the project website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/PresidentStreet and the “Meeting Notices” tab for details.
• A public meeting will be held on Thursday, August 18, 2022, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. During the meeting NPS staff will describe the special resource study process and answer questions. There are three ways the public may participate:
 o In-person: across the street from President Street Station at the Hilton Garden Inn, 625 South President Street.
 o Phone (audio only): [phone] and use Access Code: 2763 669 3106. If asked for a meeting ID, please press “#”.
 o Online participation (video and audio): See the project website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/PresidentStreet and the “Meeting Notices” tab for details.
 o A pre-recording of the presentation is available on the project website's "Meeting Notices" tab.
 • Public comments can be submitted online through https://parkplanning.nps.gov/PresidentStreet and click the “Open for Comment” link and then “Newsletter”. Please respond to the four questions that will appear above the newsletter link.
• Submissions by mail can be sent to: National Park Service, Attn: President Street Station Study / Martha Droge, 1234 Market Street, 20th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107

The public can find information and updates about the study on the study website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/PresidentStreet.
 

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