For Release: February 22, 2001
Contact:
(NPS) Nancy
Nelson, 978/369-6993
(ACHP) Druscilla Null, 202/606-8532
National Park Service
Announces Partnership to Protect and
Preserve Minute Man National Historical Park
The National Park
Service (NPS) and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) announced
today a partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation to protect and
preserve Minute Man National Historical Park in Mass., and other significant
historic sites in the vicinity of Hanscom Field, an airport near Boston.
The three federal agencies joined together to create a federal
interagency Working Group that will promote the long-term protection and
preservation of resources within Minute Man National Historical Park and other
nearby significant historic sites from current and future adverse transportation
impacts, while identifying and achieving the region’s long-term transportation
and land-use visions. In doing so,
the Working Group will actively engage State and local stakeholders to find and
develop mutually beneficial solutions to preserve the area’s nationally
significant resources.
Minute Man
National Historical Park is located in the historic towns of Lexington, Lincoln,
and Concord, Mass. It was
established by Congress in 1959 to consolidate, preserve, restore and interpret
portions of the Lexington-Concord Battle Road, as well as the associated
structures, properties, and sites so that visitors may better appreciate and
understand the beginning of the American Revolution.
Hanscom Field is located immediately adjacent to the park. The primary access to the airport is via
the park’s historic Battle road, a two-lane country road that is particularly
vulnerable to increasing traffic from many sources in the area.
Minute Man NHP is approximately 16 miles west of Boston and located in a rapidly developing, semi-rural area that is experiencing development pressures, including the potential expansion of commercial service at Hanscom Field as well as increasing commercial, residential, and office park developments. The challenges for federal, state, and local agencies and private organizations is to protect historic resources from the associated transportation related impacts--such as air and ground traffic-- in the face of these multiple demands and potential changes.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which created the federal interagency Working Group was signed by the agencies in January. While acknowledging their differing missions and legislative authorities, DOT, NPS, and the ACHP recognize a common goal of helping to assure that American Revolutionary War heritage is protected for future generations and are committed to helping the NPS achieve that goal.
- NPS -
The National
Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people
so that all
may experience our heritage.