Jefferson National Expansion Administrative History

¹ Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Administrative History, 1935-1980, by Sharon A. Brown, JEFF, 1984, p. 129; JNEHA 25th Anniversary Report, JNEHA, 1990. See also Chapter 9, Interpretation, in this administrative history. The tie between JNEHA and interpretation at JEFF was so strong that it was extremely difficult to split the two into individual chapters for this document. This chapter, however, deals with the business side of JNEHA, while the interpretive and educational aspects of the organization are covered in the chapter on interpretation.

²More information on the folklife program is included in Chapter 9, Interpretation, in this administrative history.

³Interview with Executive Director Ray Breun, JNEHA, October 9, 1992, by JEFF Historian Bob Moore.

⁴Interview with former JEFF Superintendent Jerry Schober, September 25, 1992, by JEFF Historian Bob Moore.

⁵See the section on exhibits in Chapter 9, Interpretation, in this administrative history.

⁶John R. Green II was the vice-president and treasurer of the JNEHA Board in 1991. His father, John R. Green I, was a lawyer and a founding member of JNEHA in 1961.

⁷Aram Mardirosian of the Potomac Group, Washington, D.C.. See Chapter 9, Interpretation, in this administrative history for background on the design of the Museum of Westward Expansion.

⁸Famous-Barr is a large St. Louis department store chain.

⁹Interview with Executive Director Ray Breun, JNEHA, October 9, 1992.

¹⁰JEFF Superintendent's Annual Report for 1987, p. 11.

¹¹JEFF Superintendent's Annual Reports for 1985 and 1987.

¹²JEFF Superintendent's Annual Reports for 1989 and 1990.

¹³Annual Report on National Park Service Cooperating Associations, Fiscal Year 1991, copy in JEFF File A42(710). A comparison of other comparable associations around the country revealed that the Grand Canyon Natural History Association took in $2,258,484 in 1991, and provided $438,858 in aid to the NPS; Arizona Memorial Natural History Association $2,220,969, with $678,063 in aid; and the Parks and History Association, $2,668,442, with $313,162 in aid. Other parks, such as Yellowstone and Golden Gate, have comparable figures to JNEHA, but a check of the figures puts JNEHA consistently near the top of the list regarding the percentage of gross sales turned back to the NPS in aid.

¹⁴The NPS permitted JNEHA to charge a fee for the film, which previously had been free, in order to provide the revenue to operate and maintain the theater operation and staff the Old Courthouse. Memos, Superintendent Jerry Schober to Regional Director Charles Odegaard, September 13, 1982, May 16, 1983, and September 27, 1985; Regional Director to Schober, May 26, 1983, all JEFF File A42. See also the revised Agreement Between the National Park Service and the Jefferson National Expansion Historical Association of January 13, 1961, especially section 2, part D, numbers 2-5; and section 4. See also the supplemental agreement of April 7, 1983. A copy of this document is on file in the JEFF historian's office. Programs and events in which JNEHA is involved, as well as the evolution of JNEHA's involvement in educational and interpretive programs, are described in detail in Chapter 9, Interpretation, in this administrative history.

¹⁵See the supplemental Agreement Between the National Park Service and the Jefferson National Expansion Historical Association, September 1985. A copy of this document is on file in the JEFF historian's office.

¹⁶Letter from Chairman of the Board Robert Murch, JNEHA, to Midwest Regional Director Charles Odegaard, January 25, 1985, JEFF File A42.

¹⁷Interview with Executive Director Ray Breun, JNEHA, October 9, 1992.

¹⁸JNEHA 25th Anniversary Report.

¹⁹Interview with Executive Director Ray Breun, JNEHA, October 9, 1992.

²⁰NPS-32 was a specific guideline written by the National Park Service pertaining to cooperating associations.

²¹Copy of memo from Chief, Division of Interpretation and Visitor Services, WASO, to Assistant Director, Park Use Operations, April 30, 1982. The memo includes a list of objectional items being sold by JNEHA, including charms, bolos, cast models of the Arch, medallions, cuff links and playing cards. See JEFF historian's files.

²²JEFF Operations Evaluation, Midwest Regional Office, May 1982; copy, JEFF historian's files.

²³Memo, Superintendent Jerry Schober to Regional Director, MWR, August 15, 1984, JEFF File A42.

²⁴Interview with former Superintendent Jerry Schober, September 25, 1992.

²⁵Memo, Superintendent Jerry Schober to Regional Director, MWR, August 15, 1984, JEFF File A42.

²⁶Interview with former Superintendent Jerry Schober, September 25, 1992.

²⁷Memo from Regional Director Charles Odegaard to Director of the National Park Service, October 10, 1984, JEFF File A42.

²⁸NPS Cooperating Associations Coordinator Jim Murfin's contentions were based on a site visit of May 21, 1984; see Memo from Associate Director of Park Operations Stanley Albright to Midwest Regional Director Charles Odegaard, May 4, 1984; Memos from JEFF Superintendent Jerry Schober to Regional Director, August 16, 1984, September 12, 1984, and October 3, 1984; Memos from Regional Director Charles Odegaard to Director of the National Park Service, October 10, 1984, March 7, 1985 and August 25, 1986; and Director of the National Park Service Russell Dickenson to Odegaard, January 9, 1985, all JEFF File A42.

²⁹Interview with former Superintendent Jerry Schober, September 25, 1992; see also the memo referenced, Director Russell Dickenson to Regional Director Chuck Odegaard, January 9, 1985, JEFF File A42.

³⁰Memo, Education Director Ray Breun, JNEHA, to JEFF Staff, on JNEHA policy on selection of items for sale, December 15, 1987, copy, historian's files, JEFF.

³¹Only items which have been approved by the review committee are sold in the museum shops at the Old Courthouse, the Arch, and Union Station. America's National Parks store at Union Station was formerly allowed to sell all items approved by Eastern National Park and Monument Association, but in early 1991 this was changed to read only items approved by the committee described above.

³²Union Station was purchased for $5.5 million, and restored at a cost of $150 million. Information from Molly Walsh of the St. Louis Union Station staff.

³³Interview with Executive Director Ray Breun, JNEHA, October 9, 1992.

³⁴Interview with former Superintendent Jerry Schober, September 25, 1992.

³⁵Interview with Executive Director Ray Breun, JNEHA, October 9, 1992.

³⁶Interview with former Superintendent Jerry Schober, September 25, 1992.

³⁷Interview with Executive Director Ray Breun, JNEHA, October 9, 1992.

³⁸Interview with former Superintendent Jerry Schober, September 25, 1992.

³⁹Interview with Executive Director Ray Breun, JNEHA, October 9, 1992.

⁴⁰JEFF Statement For Interpretation, 1987 p. 13.

⁴² Former Superintendent Jerry Schober recalled in an interview: "Interpreters found out; some had never had to draw a crowd. You know . . . the announcement says 'You will meet exactly at this spot, stand there and shut up and someone will come show you slides or talk to you.' And yet, they're really good interpreters. They found out [they had to say something like] 'Hey folks, you know what we're going to be doing? We're going to rapell from here . . . ' And in a little while they had crowds everywhere. It really gave an insight to those that had never done it. It was pretty slim pickings for them. And I think, I hope, that at least, when they went back, they realized that was something they ought to work on. You're not always going to have a ready-made crowd." Interview with former Superintendent Jerry Schober, September 25, 1992.

⁴²Memo, JEFF Superintendent Jerry Schober to Regional Director, MWR, February 12, 1988.

⁴³Interview with former Superintendent Jerry Schober, September 25, 1992.

⁴⁴JEFF Superintendent's Annual Report for 1991, p. 2.

⁴⁵JEFF Superintendent's Annual Report for 1990.

⁴⁶JEFF Superintendent's Annual Report for 1991, pp. 21-22.

⁴⁷Interview with former Superintendent Jerry Schober, September 25, 1992.