War in the Pacific Cultural Resources Inventory

PART 1

Location map showing the island of Guam and the Asan and Agat Beach Units (CLI Team/PISO/2003).

Location map showing the Island of Guam in the South Pacific (CLI Team/PISO/2003).

Asan Beach Unit and Agat Beach Unit are two of the seven units that make up the War in the Pacific National Historical Park. This CLI report assesses resources on land within the authorized park boundaries of Asan and Agat beach units. The park authorized boundary and the cultural landscape boundary are the same.

The National Park Service (NPS) authorized park boundary encompass specific resources related to World War II on parcels owed by the NPS (federal), the Government of Guam (public), and private landowners. The intent in the Proposed Master Plan (1967:3) states: "...acquisition of specific lands for protection and development purposes with territorial zoning of certain adjoining lands in order to preserve valid historic scenes for interpretive purposes." The original intent was for the NPS to acquire land within the designated park boundaries as it became available for purchase (Public Law 95-348 95th Congress August 18, 1978). Asan and Agat beach units are comprised of lands near and around the towns of Agat and Asan. Therefore, within the authorized park boundaries there are mixtures of historic parkland adjoining residential and commercial lands.

The Asan Beach Unit contains 109 land acres and 445 acres of water, of which 238 acres are federally owned by the NPS (see site plan section for the land ownership map). It is one continuous section of land three miles west of Agana, the capitol of Guam. It also surrounds the village of Asan. The proposed boundary for Asan begins on the western edge of Adelup Point and extends to the western edge of Asan Point along the Matgue River. The southern boundary is Marine Drive and the northern boundary is offshore.

The Agat Beach Unit contains 38 land acres and 557 acres of water, of which 63 acres are federally owned by the NPS (see site plan section for land ownership map). The land portions are noncontiguous but share a common eastern boundary, Highway 2. The offshore or western boundary is a continuous line along the coral reef from Bangi Point, north to Apaca Point. Apaca Point is the northern most segment containing the delta of the Namo River and two large coral outcroppings. Ga'an Point, the center segment, is approximately one mile south of Apaca Point. One small parcel just south of the village of Agat is owned by NPS but has no visitor improvements. Bangi Point and Alutom Island located at the southern end.

Cultural Context

As early as 2000 B.C., the Chamorro people migrated from Southeast Asia to settle in Guam. In 1521, Magellan was the first explorer to land on Guam and by 1565 the Spanish began to colonize and send missionaries to convert people to Catholicism. The first Spanish settlement, established in 1668, remained under Spanish rule until United States acquired the island in the Spanish-American War in 1898. During the Spanish rule, Chamorro population declined (Rogers 1995:79) and Filipinos and Carolinians (from the western Carolines) were imported to repopulate the island, manage Spanish cattle herds and provide additional labor. This migration pattern continued throughout the period of American rule. Today, Chamorro, Carolinian, Spanish, and Filipino tradition and culture remain an important part of Guamanian life and culture.

Political Context

Guam is an unincorporated United States flag territory. Guamanians are United States citizens but do not vote in United States presidential elections. As of July 1950, the people of Guam were granted civilian rule through the Organic Act of Guam. There are three branches of government: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. The island's first elected governor (the highest political position) was elected in 1970.

Physiographic Context

Guam is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands chain. Guam is located at 13 degrees north latitude and is approximately 209 square miles in area. This tropical islands northern half is a limestone plateau with 50-foot cliffs descending into the sea. The southern half of the island is a series of volcanic mountains along the western coast and smaller, gentler volcanic hills sloping toward the east. Coastlines vary from pitted coral limestone to swampy wetlands, to sand beaches. The sea to the west of Guam and the Philippine Sea and to the east is the Pacific Ocean. Coral reefs surround most of the island. The ocean depts drop dramatically beyond the fringing reefs.