SITKA Administrative History

Chapter 4:
SITKA NATIONAL MONUMENT, MIDDLE YEARS (continued)

Park personnel changes

Hall, who had been the first person in charge of Sitka National Monument to be classified as an historian, left in 1963 for an assignment in Washington, D.C. His initial replacement, Charles W. Warner, reported for duty on July 1, 1963. He had previously served at Colonial National Historical Park in Virginia. Warner remained at Sitka only until October 2 of that year when he was asked to resign. Romaine Hardcastle, a Sitkan who had been assisting at the park as a "gratuitous worker," took over as the National Park Service representative in Sitka until a new park historian could arrive. [246]

While Hardcastle was serving in an acting capacity, arrangements were made to ship three of the poles at Sitka National Monument to New York for display at the 1964 World's Fair. Two of the poles were taken from where they stood at the entrance to Lovers' Lane while a third pole ("No. 12") was taken from near the end of the lane. The poles, which would be returned to Sitka in 1966 and emplanted at the entrance to the park, were loaded on a steamer on March 11,1963, and shipped to New York. [247]

About the time the poles went off to the World's Fair, William T. Ingersoll, an experienced park historian with a master's degree in history from Columbia University, arrived at Sitka to begin duty as park historian. Hardcastle, who later received a cash incentive award for her outstanding work during the time the monument was without a historian, continued in the service as a museum aide and technician until 1967. [248]

Park personnel in this period were busy preparing for the new visitor center, which would soon be dedicated. Funding for the center had been repeatedly requested in monument budgets, but money was only obtained after a visit to Sitka by National Park Service Associate Director Elvind T. Scoyen in 1961. Monument officials briefed Scoyen on the need for a visitor center and the possibility of cooperation with the Board of Indian Arts and Crafts. After Scoyen returned to Washington a cooperative funding arrangement that would provide for a visitor center at Sitka was worked out between the two agencies. [249]

The Littlefield house, which stood near the entrance to the monument and had been acquired on August 23, 1963, was burned by the Sitka Fire Department in June of 1964. Sitka personnel applied for and received financial assistance from the Mount McKinley National History Association for publication of a booklet about Sitka National Monument that could be sold to visitors. [250]

With the Littlefield house gone, the grounds overlooking the new visitor center were spruced up. Chief Saanaheit's pole and four house posts were emplanted at the monument entrance. The latter were set on the elevated ground overlooking the entrance. The interior of the center was enhanced by seven house posts and a house front loaned by Sitkans to the National Park Service for display. [251]

The posts were in place just in time for ceremonies held in connection with dedication of the visitor center on August 14, 1965. National Park Service Regional Director Edward A. Hummel delivered the dedication address, which was attended by a large number of Sitkans and visiting dignitaries that included Susan Barrow, Curator of the Alaska Historical Library and Museum; Dr. Frederick J. Dockstader, Director, Museum of the American Indian and Chair of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board; Mathilda Gambel of Angoon, joint lender with Sitka's Patrick Paul of the wolf house posts installed in the lobby; and Robert G. Hart, general manager of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board. [252]