Draft General Management Plan, Environmental Impact Statement: Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site, Washington, D.C.

162 Pages·2001·7.7 MB·English

by  National Park Service

ClemsonUniversit
46/DRAFT
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Draft
General Management Plan
Environmental Impact Statement
FEDERAL
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Mary McLeod Bethune Council House AUG 1 5 2001
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Washington, D.C.
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Draft
General Management Plan / Environmental Impact Statement
Mary McLeod Bethune Council House
National Historic Site
Washington, District of Columbia
The National Park Service is preparing a general management plan to clearly define a direction for resource
preservation and visitor use atthe Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site forthe next 10 to
15 years. A general management plan takes a long-range view and provides aframework forproactive decision
making about visitor use, managing the natural and cultural resources at the site, developing the site, and
addressing future opportunities and problems. This is thefirst NPS comprehensive management plan prepared
forthe national historic site. As required, this general management plan presents to the public a range of
alternativesfor managing the site, including a preferred alternative; the management plan also analyzes and
—
presentsthe resource and socioeconomic impacts orconsequences of implementing each of those alternatives
the "Environmental Consequences" section ofthis document.
All alternatives propose new interpretive exhibits. Alternative 1, a "no-action" alternative, presents what would
happen under a continuation of current management trends and provides a basis forcomparing the other
alternatives. Alternative 2, the preferred alternative, expands interpretation ofthe house and the life of Bethune,
and the archives. It recommends the purchase and rehabilitation of an adjacent row houseto provide space for
orientation, restrooms, and offices. Moving visitororientation to an adjacent building would provide additional
visitorservices while slightly decreasing the impacts of visitors on the historic structure. In addition, the proposed
changes to the archives would expand the audience that could be reached via electronic media. Administrative
functions would be separate from the visitorareas. Many of the archival collections would be moved to the
Museum Resource Center. The interpretation program would be broad and balanced and would provide more in-
depth treatment of Dr. Bethune's role as a public figure and organizer.
Alternative 3 expands interpretation tothose people wanting longer, more in-depth information on the site and
expands outreach programs to accommodate wideraudiences. This alternative proposes the purchase or lease of
additional nearbyspace foroffices, meetings, and orientation and would decrease ranger-guided tours and
increase self-guided tours (compared to existing conditions) ofthe council house. Thi—s alternative also proposes
the expansion of the carriage house and increased services to a narroweraudience those people who would
be attending seminars and workshops. Orientation and visitation services would be shifted to the new space. This
alternative would also increase the numberof people reached through outreach programs. Offsite interpretation,
including traveling exhibits, would be expanded. Alternative 4 emphasizes interpretation of the life and legacy of
Mary McLeod Bethune. This alternative proposes building a largerstructure to replacethe carriage house and
moving the archives offsite to a leased space, providing needed space for restrooms and bookstore. Thus,
implementation of alternative 4 would increase exhibit space and provide space for new exhibits. The site staff
would provide in-depth interpretation of Dr. Bethune and hercontributions, and exhibits in the house would
include historic and period furnishings from the years when she used the house as the headquarters forthe
National Council of NegroWomen.
For more information aboutthis document, contactthe Site Manager Diann Jacox, Mary McLeod Bethune
National Historic Site, 1318 VermontAvenue, NW, Washington, D.C., 20005, at202-673-2402, orvia email at
[email protected]. Please note that it is NPS practice to make comments, including names and addresses
of respondents, available for public review. Individual respondents may requestthat we withhold their address
from the planning records, which we will honortothe extent allowable by law. Please see the "Summary" section
for more details. All reviewcomments should be sent to National Park Service, PDS, Terri Urbanowski, P.O. Box
25287, Denver, CO 80225-0287. Comments can also be sent via the Internetto [email protected].
U.S. Departmentofthe Interior• National Park Service
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2012 with funding from
LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation
http://archive.org/details/draftgeneralmanaOOmary
SUMMARY
Mary McLeod Bethune, was a renowned This general management plan is required
educator, organizer, national political leader, to present to the public a range of alterna-
president of the National Association of tives for managing the site, including a
Colored Women, and founder of the preferred alternative. In this document there
National Council of Negro Women. What is are four alternatives. The plan is also
now the Mary McLeod Bethune Council required to analyze and present the environ-
House National Historic Site was her official mental and socioeconomic impacts or
Washington, D.C., address (1943-49), and consequences of implementing each of
—
it is at this site that Mary McLeod Bethune those alternatives the environmental
achieved her greatest national and impact statement part of this document. A
international recognition. At this site, the first summary of the alternatives and the
headquarters of the National Council of important impacts is given below.
Negro Women, Bethune and the council
spearheaded strategies and developed
programs that advanced the interests of SUMMARY OF ALTERNATIVES AND
African American women and the black IMPACTS
community. The site is also the location of
the National Archives for Black Women's Alternative 1, No Action
History.
Current operations, with limited space, staff,
The 1991 legislation that gave the National and budget, would continue at the site. No
Park Service the authority to acquire and additional property would be acquired or
manage this national historic site also leased. Visitor facilities would continue to be
created a 15-member Federal Advisory inadequate, and facilities would remain
Commission. This commission participates inaccessible to visitors and employees with
in an advisory capacity to develop the mobility disabilities. The second-floor,
general management plan. The commision single-toilet restroom would continue to be
is composed of experts in areas relating to used for visitors, including those arriving in
the historic site and archives and Dr. groups. The limited administrative and
Bethune. visitor orientation functions would remain in
the council house, and the archives would
The National Park Service intends to arrive remain in the carriage house, which does
at a comprehensive direction for managing not provide the physical environment for
the site through public participation. professional curatorial standards and would
Therefore, public input is an important not have room for storing the additional
aspect of establishing the desired resource collections expected.
and visitor experience conditions that will
guide the management of the national The interpretive program, which focuses on
historic site. Dr. Bethune, the council house, and the
National Council of Negro Women, would
Many issues and concerns have been continue to be less comprehensive than is
identified by NPS staff, the Federal Advisory desired. Space for researchers and their
Commission, and the general public as part work would continue to be inadequate. The
of the scoping (initial planning efforts) for council house would continue to be pre-
this general management plan. Comments served as funding permits and in response
were solicited at public meetings, through to structural deterioration, without a more
planning newsletters, and on the Internet. proactive preservation plan.
Summary
The main impacts of implementing this Alternative 3
alternative would be that the above-
mentioned undesirable conditions would The national historic site would com-
continue and the quality of the visitor memorate Mary McLeod Bethune through
experience would continue to be adversely the establishment of the Bethune Center for
affected. Human Rights. The center would continue
Dr. Bethune's legacy by using the council
house as a base for stimulating social
Alternative 2 - Preferred change. While retaining the archival
resources and the house as a museum, the
In this alternative the national historic site site would provide the place for community
would place a dual emphasis on the council and activist groups to meet and engage in
house, which would be used as a museum, activities, workshops, and programs.
and on the archives. Both the museum and Interpretive themes would emphasize Dr.
the archives would be expanded and linked Bethune's legacy. Groups using the facilities
by using the archival materials in changing would include those with whom Dr. Bethune
interpretive exhibits and programs. The and the National Council of Negro Women
interpretation would provide a broad and worked, as well as other organizations that
balanced program and a more in-depth would encourage social change in accord
treatment of Dr. Bethune's role as a public with Dr. Bethune's ideals. Lectures and
figure and organizer. receptions for educational and activist
groups would take place, with emphasis on
Dr. Bethune's vision of an expansive literacy and voices of the civil rights and
archival collection of African American human rights movement.
women's history would be achieved. The
archives would become a significant, state- Archival collections also would emphasize
of-the art research institution and a modern materials related to social justice and
repository that meets current professional human rights. Leased or acquired property
archival management standards. Research and an increase in staff (to 14 from the
capabilities and services would be improved current six) would be a necessity for
through the use of advanced technology. implementing this alternative.
Additional acquired property for offices and
visitor orientation and an increase in staff (to The main impacts of implementing this
13 instead of the current six) would be a alternative would be increased space, which
necessity for implementing this alternative. would provide an orientation area for
groups, more space for exhibits and staff,
The main impacts of implementing this and more space for meetings and pro-
alternative would be increased space, which grams. This space would be separate from
would provide an orientation area for the council house, requiring programmatic
groups, accessibility for those with mobility interpretation. There would also be more
handicaps, and accessible restrooms. It space for the archives, which would have
would also provide more space for staff and enhanced environmental protection. The
exhibits. The addition of doorways would addition of the archival space would have
have a minor impact on the historic proper- adverse impacts on the carriage house.
ty. There would be additional space for the
archives, as well as enhanced environ-
mental protection and updated technological
access.
SUMMARY
Alternative 4 Management Plan/Environmental Impact
Statementwill be issued, which will include
The national historic site would commemo- agency and letters and responses to all
rate the life and times of Mary McLeod substantive comments. The final plan will be
Bethune by managing the council house as approved (through a record of decision)
a traditional NPS historic museum. The site after a minimum 30-day no-action period.
staff would provide in-depth interpretation of
Dr. Bethune and her contributions, and Comments on this plan are welcome. If you
exhibits in the house would include historic wish to respond to the material in this
and period furnishings from the years when document you may submit your comments
she used the house as the headquarters for in various ways:
the National Council of Negro Women. Most
of these exhibits would be permanent, with Written comments should be sent to
some changing exhibits. The emphasis of National Park Service, PDS, Terri
the archival collections would be to illustrate Urbanowski, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, CO
the highlights of her life and activities as 80225-0287. Comments can also be sent
well as the era in which she lived and the via the Internet to [email protected].
contemporaries with whom she worked.
Offsite space for the archival collections It is NPS practice to make comments,
would be a necessity for implementing this including names and addresses of
alternative, as would hiring one additional respondents, available for public review.
staff member. Individual respondents may request that we
withhold their address from the planning
The main impacts of implementing this records, which we will honor to the extent
alternative would be the removal and allowable by law. There also may be
reconstruction of the carriage house. circumstances in which we would withhold
Moving the archives to a leased facility from the record a respondent's identity, as
would open additional space onsite for allowable by law. If you wish us to withhold
offices, a bookstore, and restrooms, leaving your name and/or address, you must state
more room in the council house for exhibits this prominently at the beginning of your
and interpretation. comment. We will make all submission from
organizations or businesses, and from
individuals identifying themselves as repre-
HOW TO COMMENT ON THIS PLAN sentatives or officials of organizations or
businesses, available for public inspection
The public is being asked to comment on in their entirety. This method for public
this Draft General Management Plan/ comment submittal stems from recent court
Environmental Impact Statement. Various rulings concerning the release of public
elements of the preferred alternative and comments, and it is included as
other alternatives might be modified to recommended by the Office of the Solicitor,
address comments. A Final General Department of the Interior.
VII

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1 1
Contents
Introduction
Purpose of and Need for the General Management Plan 3
Purpose and Need 3
The Planning Process 3
Brief Description of the National Historic Site and Its Beginnings 4
Background and Description 4
The Establishment of the National Historic Site 9
Planning Direction and Guidance 10
Site Purposes — Why the Site Was Set Aside 1
Site Significance —Why It Is Special and Important 1
—
Interpretive Themes What Visitors Should Know 1
Servicewide Laws and Policies and Special Site Mandates and Agreements 1
Carrying Capacity 16
Planning Issues 17
—
Resources and/or Values at Stake in the Planning Process Impact Topics 18
Impact Topics Selected for Further Analysis 1
Impact Topics Eliminated from Further Evaluation 19
Issues beyond the Scope of This Plan 21
Relationship to the Neighborhood, Related Sites and Other Planning Efforts 22
Relationship to Neighborhood 22
Related Sites in Washington, D.C. 22
Relationship to other Planning Efforts in Washington, D.C. 24
Related Sites Outside Washington, D.C. 25
Alternatives, Including the Preferred Alternative
Introduction 29
The Alternatives 29
Alternatives or Actions Considered but Eliminated from Further Study 29
Alternative 1 : No Action 30
Overall Concept 30
Council House 30
Carriage House 30
New Interpretive, Administrative, or Archival Space 30
Alternative 2: Dual Emphasis on Museum and Archives (Preferred Alternative) 32
Overall Concept 32
Council House 34
Carriage House 34
New Interpretive, Administrative, or Archival Space 34
Alternative 3: Emphasis on Activities and Programs 35
Overall Concept 35
Council House 35
IX
CONTENTS
Carriage House 37
New Interpretive, Administrative, or Archival Space 37
Alternative 4: Emphasis on Museum Operations 38
Overall Concept 38
Council House 38
Carriage House 38
New Interpretive, Administrative, or Archival Space 40
Comparative Costs of General Management Plan Alternatives 41
Environmentally Preferred Alternative 43
Mitigating Measures 50
Recommendations for Further Research and Planning 51
Affected Environment
Cultural Resources 55
—
A Short Biography Mary McLeod Bethune: 875-1955 55
1
Archeological Resources 65
Ethnographic Resources 65
—
Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site A Brief History 65
Council House 68
Furnishings 69
Carriage House 69
Historic Landscape Design 70
National Archives for Black Women's History 70
Visitor Use / Experience 73
Socioeconomic Environment 75
Population and Economy 75
Land Use 76
Visual Quality 76
Transportation and Site Access 76
Site Administration and Operations 77
Structures 77
Operations and Maintenance 78
Staff 78
Environmental Consequences
Introduction 81
Cumulative Impacts 81
Impairment of Site Resources 81
Impacts on Cultural Resources 83
Methodology 83
Intensity of Impacts 83
Duration of Impacts 84
Type of Impacts 84