Fort Stanwix National Monument

Joan M. Zenzen

Description

This book looks at the history of Fort Stanwix and documents how the people of Rome, New York, partnered with the National Park Service to create Fort Stanwix National Monument, a reconstructed log-and-sod Revolutionary War fort located in the center of the city. Initially undertaken as part of Rome's urban renewal effort to revive a failing economy through tourism, the fort's reconstruction exemplifies how a regional interest successfully engaged the National Park Service in achieving its goals.

Using extensive documentation and oral history interviews, historian Joan M. Zenzen examines the full sweep of the site's history by looking back at the 1777 siege that helped turn the tide at Saratoga, describing political commemorations during the turn of the twentieth century, detailing events leading to urban renewal and fort reconstruction in the 1970s, and explaining how the park's superintendents have managed this fort. She also discusses four important themes in historic preservation—authenticity, reconstruction, reenactment, and memory—to understand the processes that resulted in the establishment of Fort Stanwix National Monument. Tied to these themes is the idea of partnerships, a key ingredient that has kept the national park site engaged with such local communities as Rome businesses, Oneida Six Nations, New York State historic sites, regional tourism boards, and reenactment groups.

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Introduction

1. Commemoration

2. Urban Renewal

3. Reconstruction

4. Celebration

5. Holding Down the Fort

6. Beyond the Pickets

7. Reaching Out

Appendixes
1. Fort Stanwix Act, Public Law No. 291
2. Diagram of Fort Stanwix and Its Reconstructed Buildings
3. Fort Stanwix National Monument Superintendents and Dates of Service
4. Annual Visitation Numbers
5. Annual Budget

Notes
Bibliography
Index

Sujets

• USA
• United States of America
• 20th century
• History of the Americas
• États-Unis

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 2009
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791478448
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

Fort Stanwix National Monument

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Fort Stanwix National Monument Reconstructing the Past and Partnering for the Future

Joan M. Zenzen

S TATE  U NIVERSITYOF  N EW  Y ORK  P RESS

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2008 State University of New York

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu

Production by Diane Ganeles Marketing by Anne M. Valentine

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Zenzen, Joan M. Fort Stanwix National Monument : reconstructing the past and partnering for the future / Joan M. Zenzen. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-7914-7433-4 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Fort Stanwix National Monument (Rome, N.Y.) 2. Fort Stanwix National Monument (Rome, N.Y.)—History. 3. Historic buildings— Conservation and restoration—New York (State)—Rome. 4. Fortification— Conservation and restoration—New York (State)—Rome. 5. Historic preservation—New York (State)—Rome. 6. Rome (N.Y.)—Buildings, structures, etc. 7. Fort Stanwix (Rome, N.Y.)—Siege, 1777. I. Title.

F129.R82Z46 2008 974.7'62—dc22

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2007030814

List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction

Contents

1. Commemoration 2. Urban Renewal 3. Reconstruction 4. Celebration 5. Holding Down the Fort 6. Beyond the Pickets 7. Reaching Out

Appendixes 1. Fort Stanwix Act, Public Law No. 291 2. Diagram of Fort Stanwix and Its Reconstructed Buildings 3. Fort Stanwix National Monument Superintendents and Dates of Service 4. Annual Visitation Numbers 5. Annual Budget

Notes Bibliography Index

vii ix 1

13 35 67 97 129 157 193

225 227

229 231 233

235 283 293

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Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7

Fig. 8 Fig. 9 Fig. 10 Fig. 11 Fig. 12 Fig. 13 Fig. 14 Fig. 15 Fig. 16 Fig. 17 Fig. 18 Fig. 19 Fig. 20 Fig. 21 Fig. 22 Fig. 23 Fig. 24 Fig. 25 Fig. 26 Fig. 27 Fig. 28 Fig. 29 Fig. 30

Illustrations

1764 sketch of Fort Stanwix 1810 map of Rome Peter Hugunine’s 1897 painting,Willett’s Sortie Reenactors 1927 Fort Stanwix replica 1960s sketch of Fort Stanwix and downtown Rome J. Duncan Campbell 1967 proposed vicinity map for Fort Stanwix National Monument 1967 proposed development map for the park 1967 proposed Rome urban renewal area Ranger-led talk at the archaeological dig Site drawing of the reconstructed fort Relief drawing of the reconstructed fort Facing the concrete foundation with logs Lee Hanson as Peter Gansevoort May 1976 opening ceremony at Fort Stanwix Overhead photo of the reconstructed fort View of the drawbridge View of the drum and fife corps A young man and woman play the drum and fife Men with cannon on gun platforms Lester Mayo with school group Marguerite Syfert-Hines as Mrs. Joseph Savage Two reenactors inside the barracks Lester Mayo in blanket 225th Anniversary Colonial Ball Children’s program at the fort Exterior view of Marinus Willett Center Oneida Indians and wampum belt Diorama inside Marinus Willett Center Exhibit space in Marinus Willett Center

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14 19 23 26 29 47

55 60 61 74 83 84 90 101 104 104 105 105 106 106 107 107 108 108 199 202 207 209 217 219

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Acknowledgments

One of the pleasures of researching and writing a history for the National Park Service (NPS) is that I have the opportunity to work with some of the most dedicated and well-trained employees in the federal govern- ment. My experience at Fort Stanwix National Monument (FOST) up- holds this belief. Former superintendent Mike Caldwell recognized the need for an administrative history, found the funding to support it, and gave me full and complete access to his staff, resources, and records. His energy and enthusiasm for the project saw no bounds. Mike Kusch, the chief of interpretation and resources management, provided me with documents relating to interpretive programming at the park and talked to me about the park’s former visitor-orientation film. He also gave me an extremely helpful guided tour of the new Willett Center. The former facility manager Jack Veazy let me poke through his collection of reports and photographs documenting various steps taken to maintain the fort and its grounds. Budget analyst Leigh Ann Medick and administrative technician Sonja Wray-Brewer answered my many questions and hooked me up on the computer. I extend heartfelt thanks to Curator Craig Davis. Prior to my arrival, he retrieved boxes and boxes of the park’s files and readied the materials for my review. Anytime that I asked for a document or an explanation of a report, he immediately responded and often gave me more than I had imagined. If I encountered difficulties in finding something or someone, he offered tangible solutions. This his- tory has benefited considerably from his commitment to this project. Other people in the National Park Service also deserve thanks. The former chief historian Dwight Pitcaithley recommended sources on re- construction. Janet McDonnell, the former bureau historian, gave me access to relevant files in the Washington Office, responded to my re- quests for additional sources, and provided helpful comments on the first draft of this manuscript. Paul Weinbaum in the Boston Support Office coordinated my research visit there and gave me insightful comments on the draft manuscript, measurably improving its clarity and substance. Ellen Levin Carlson, also in Boston, sent her e-mail archive of General Management Planning documents and correspondence. David Clark in

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