Some say the National Park Service is a poor steward of its properties and we would be better off if Hampton operated Fort Monroe. How do you respond?
A. The National Park Service operates 385 properties on 83.6 million acres of land, so it should not be surprising that it has not always maintained all its buildings and other structures as we would like it to. Still it does a remarkable job overall subject to the funding available, and most Americans have a high regard for our nations parks and the Park Service. We can think of no more appropriate and qualified operator of the most historical portions of Fort Monroe than the National Park Service. And, if Fort Monroe is controlled by the federal trust we envision, the trust rather than the Park Service would likely have primary responsibility for assuring proper maintenance of Fort Monroe . As to Hampton operating Fort Monroe , no locality could be expected to properly operate and fund a national icon of the forts size or significance for the long termlocal political pressures and local needs would inevitably lead to compromising the fort. That is why the nation has the National Park
A. The National Park Service operates 391 properties on more than 84 million acres of land, so it should not be surprising that it has not always maintained all its buildings and other structures as we would like it to. Still it does a remarkable job overall subject to the funding available, and most Americans have a high regard for our nations parks and the Park Service. We can think of no more appropriate and qualified operator of the most historical portions of Fort Monroe than the National Park Service. And, if Fort Monroe is primarily controlled by the trust we envision, the trust rather than the Park Service would likely have primary responsibility for assuring proper maintenance of Fort Monroe. As to Hampton operating Fort Monroe, no locality could be expected to properly operate and fund a national icon of the forts size or significance for the long termlocal political pressures and local needs would inevitably lead to compromising the fort. That is why the nation has the Natio
Related Questions
- You mentioned the recent National Park Service Reconnaissance Study (see Q5) had concluded Fort Monroe was both significant enough and suitable to be a national park. But didnt the National Park Service in that Study also decline to endorse a Special Resource Study (see Q7) at this time?
- Some say the National Park Service is a poor steward of its properties and we would be better off if Hampton operated Fort Monroe. How do you respond?
- What Is the National Park Service Doing to Help?
