Fort Clatsop Administrative History

Interpretation, 1985-1994

Bobby Usher boiling fat for candle rendering, 1989.
(FOCL photo collection)

With a change in superintendents in 1985, there was a shift in the interpretive policies regarding the demonstration programs. This shift reflected a trend found throughout NPS costumed interpretation during the mid-1980s. Emphasis shifted from classification as "living history" to "costumed demonstrations." This emphasis lifted restrictive hiring practices with regards to costumed interpreters. Superintendent Frank Walker emphasized hiring the best possible interpreters, regardless of their race or gender. [9] Rather than considering or recruiting specific applicants for interpreter positions, hiring was made more equitable and was based on those applications received. Since this shift, women interpreters are given the choice of wearing men's costumes as opposed to the women's buckskin dress. For example, one woman seasonal interpreter requested wearing the men's costume for her demonstration of carpentry skills, which the dress prohibited her from doing. [10]

National Park Service Directive Six (NPS-6), which covers interpretation standards throughout the Park Service, lists current definitions of living history and costumed demonstrations. Costumed demonstrations are defined as "demonstrations, animations, etc., conducted by interpreters in period dress but not utilizing first person role playing (i.e., third person presentations)." Living history is defined as demonstrations conducted by "interpreters in period clothing who are portraying a specific historical role (i.e., first person role playing). For these activities, accuracy includes not only the knowledge base, the reproduced clothing, and objects involved but also the clearly identifiable physical characteristics, identifiable after costuming, make-up, etc." NPS-6 goes on to state that care must be given in planning for living history programs that first person presentation does not result in unintentional discrimination.

By these definitions, which are current, the memorial has always performed costumed demonstrations. Only occasionally have interpreters at the memorial utilized first person presentations. In such cases, the interpretive staff in charge of the development of seasonal programs were careful to know the abilities of the ranger involved in the presentation. First person presentations appeared to receive negative visitor response. [11]

First person presentation requires the visitor to believe an interpreter is someone from another time and place. If the visitor is asked to believe something and they do not, two things may happen. One, the visitor might lose interest in the program and will not remember it fondly, and two, the historical information being presented might be lost. [12 ] First person presentation is less interactive and requires acting. Third person presentation is a better learning vehicle, allowing open interaction with the audience with no pretense about who the interpreter is. An interpreter with a well-prepared and well-delivered talk is often more effective than an interpreter acting a part.

Visitors recognize that white women were not a part of the Expedition. The issue of race and gender in costume interpretation is a debate that extends to all parks presenting such programs and draws strong opinions from members of the NPS at park, regional, and national levels. Some maintain that interpretation should continue to maintain historical accuracy with regard to race or gender, even when presenting third person presentations. They consider women in men's clothing to be historically inaccurate.

Two YCC employees with the final product, 1989.
(FOCL photo collection)

The women who were the first memorial rangers to present demonstrations in costume had mixed success. Some experienced a loss of authority with some visitors that did not occur when they wore an NPS uniform. [13 ] Women interpreters currently working at the fort do not seem to experience this problem. Incidents fostered by the gender of the interpreter therefore seem to have declined over the last ten years.

The material for the costumed demonstration programs between 1985 and the present center around the same fundamental programs developed since 1970. Seasonal staff are required to develop talks and demonstrations based on the interpretive themes of the park, available reference material, and their personal skills, interests, and abilities. Staff present these programs in a concise format designed to impart a specific theme to the memorial visitor. Interpretive staff rotate between replica duty in costume and visitor center duty in NPS uniform, which provides a break in their routine and helps provide variety. Interpretive themes center around the story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and their winter encampment, the problem-solving and survival skills of the Expedition, the Clatsop and Chinook cultures' interaction with the Expedition, and environmental education and the natural environment.

Between 1985 and 1990, the memorial's interpretive brochure was translated into German, Russian, French, and Japanese. Brochures about the Volunteers In Parks program have also been updated and made available. The interpretive staff has been involved with other publications as well. Interpretive Specialist Dan Dattilio wrote Fort Clatsop: The Story Behind The Scenery, and FCHA has published The Charbonneau Family Portrait and Plant Guide to Fort Clatsop National Memorial. FCHA also published a previsit guide for educators, which was available until the visitor center expansion.

In 1987, the memorial began charging a small entry fee as part of a fee enhancement funds program instituted nationwide. The fee was one dollar per person with a maximum of three dollars for a family, and was charged from April 14 to September 30. Children under thirteen and adults over 62 were free. A ten dollar annual pass was also available. In its first year, fee collection brought in $31,116. During 1994, entrance fee collection at the memorial runs from April 1 through September 30. Fees increased to two dollars per person, four dollars per family, and ten dollars for an annual pass. A variety of other special passes are also sold.

Rangers Keith Watempah (demonstrating) and Sara Borok (in uniform) presenting flintlock demonstration, 1989.
(FOCL photo collection)

Planning began in 1989 for new visitor center exhibits, which was part of the visitor center rehabilitation project. Harpers Ferry Center Exhibit Planner Nancy Slocum, Exhibit Designer Kip Stowell, and a private exhibit contractor, Chris White, worked in conjunction with memorial staff in planning the new, enlarged exhibit hall. The exhibit theme was to stress the national and international significance of the Expedition and the events and accomplishments of its members during the Fort Clatsop winter. Five subthemes were developed: 1) the political and commercial significance of the Expedition, 2) the scientific significance, 3) the practical survival significance, 4) intercultural significance, and 5) the post-Expedition profiles of individual members. Memorial staff read draft exhibit plans, analyzed, and expressed their concern for a well-organized and flowing exhibit and coordinated their efforts with NPS planners. The final exhibit plan called for 17 exhibit cases, two of which were to be utilized for temporary exhibits. Text and materials for the remaining fifteen cases were developed to meet the five subthemes.

When the new exhibit cases arrived at the memorial from Harpers Ferry and the exhibit displays assembled, the staff were displeased with a number of things. The exhibit case framework hindered the view of materials inside, the selection of colors for materials was poor (for example, the trail route on the wall map was hard to distinguish because it was nearly the same color as the map), the carpentry work was sloppy and rough, some labels were difficult to read, certain requests made by the park staff earlier were not incorporated, and finally, the exhibit cases were not coordinated with the Denver Service Center's placement of track lighting and outlets, resulting in poor lighting on the exhibit cases. Staff from Harpers Ferry noted the memorial's concerns and traveled to Fort Clatsop to correct those problems that could be easily corrected.

However, HFC did not able to repair the most serious flaw in the cases. The framework around the cases partially blocked the view of the objects inside the case. HFC stated that they could not fix the problem with the $50,000 remaining in the project fund. The memorial requested that HFC transfer the funds to the park to complete the necessary work. HFC agreed and the memorial contracted with Interpretive Exhibits, Inc., a Salem- based company, to reface the cabinets and correct the deficiencies.

The visitor center expansion also realized the long-needed and awaited enlarged auditorium. The project also included an audio-visual booth and new equipment. In 1989, planning for a new slide program in conjunction with the expansion began. In 1990, Fort Clatsop Interpretive Specialist Scott Eckberg and Harpers Ferry Center audio-visual production officer Karine Erlebach completed the script and photographed the site for "The Farthest Reach," the memorial's current slide program. During the same project, the costumed demonstration programs were filmed and put on a laser disc format with captions. Finished in 1991, the disc system was placed in the visitor center lobby for use during periods when there are no costumed demonstrations and to provide visitors with information about activities not being demonstrated. In addition, the expansion project added a multipurpose room next to the theater, where special interpretive programs, talks, workshops, and additional audio-visual programs could be held. The multipurpose room added flexibility for the interpretive staff, especially in handling large school and tour groups.