Comprehensive Management Plan, Steamtown National Historic Site
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STEAMTOWN H National Historic Site ■ Comprehensive Management Plan United States Department of the Interior / National Park Service / March 1988 INTRODUCTION MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS LEGISLATION 26 MAPS Park Purpose 1 Management Authority 15 Vicinity 1 Potential of Steamtown National Staffing 16 ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC RESPONSE Existing Conditions 7 Historic Site 2 Interim Operation 16 Public Involvement in the Planning Proposed Action 10 Legislative Mandate 3 Process 27 Boundary 14 Planning Influences 4 FUTURE STUDIES AND ACTION Public Review of the Draft Management Objectives 6 Future Studies 17 Comprehensive Management Development of the Plan 6 Future Actions 18 Plan 28 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SITE MULTIYEAR PROJECT STRATEGY LIST OF PREPARERS 29 DEVELOPMENT AND VISITOR Planning 19 USE Interpretation 19 Introduction 7 Design/Construction 19 The Arrival Experience 8 Data Collection 19 The Railroad Yard Experience 9 The Restoration/Operation RELATED ACTIONS Experience 9 Introduction 20 The Excursion Experience 9 Enhance Excursion Route 21 Administrative/Storage Needs 10 Links to Downtown and Nearby The Steamtown Collection 11 Attractions 22 Cost Estimates 12 River Corridors, Trails, and Natural Areas 23 LAND PROTECTION Rail-Related Education 24 Boundary 13 Planning and Promotion 25 Hazardous Materials 13 CREDITS Copyrighted drawings of railroad equipment courtesy of Model Railroader magazine. Photographs courtesy of University of Syracuse. INTRODUCTION Lackawanna River Steamtown Scranton Park National Historic Purpose Williamsport Site On October 30, 1986, Congress enacted Public Law 99-591, which established Steamtown National Historic Site on lands that formerly comprised the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western (DL&W) Railroad yard Allentown Delaware in downtown Scranton, River Pennsylvania. The purpose of Harrisburg Ml\X£> I Steamtown as expressed in the 'O zc 30 4o legislation is “to further public Susquehanna River understanding and appreciation Philadelphia of steam locomotives in the region.” Vicinity Steamtown National Historic Site Newark ' United States Department of the Interior / National Park Service DELAWARE 1 Potential the country are assemblages of rolling or in close proximity could be used to stock, removed from any site context relate the following stories: of and displayed as museum collections. The Scranton site retains its context America at Work (the railroad yard) and offers the Commerce and Industry Steamtown opportunity to interpret on-site not Science and Invention only the locomotives and rolling stock Transportation and National but also the greater story of steam Communication railroad operations. As a Society and Social Conscience representative yard of the steam American Ways of Life Historic era, the Scranton site could include Immigration coaling and watering operations, Occupational Groups and Site switching and making up of trains, Economic Classes freight handling, track and car Social Movements maintenance, and other typical yard Labor The DL&W Railroad yard in Scranton activities of the first half of the 20th (also called the Scranton yard) owed century. The resources and features available in its existence to the development of the Scranton area include anthracite a railway designed to haul iron Because the Steamtown collection of coal and historic iron furnaces as products, although anthracite coal approximately 40 locomotives and broad themes in addition to steam soon dominated the freight operation. over 100 pieces of rolling stock had railroading. Packaging these various For many years the yard housed the little relationship to the DL&W, it attractions in some fashion would principal repair plant of the DL&W could fit into the railroad yard provide visitors the opportunity to Railroad. As the railroad grew, the interpretation as representing early gain an understanding and an yard expanded. However, the railroad 20th-century steam railroading. A appreciation for the industrialization was, as DL&W President William part of the stock could be used to of the Lackawanna Valley. Truesdale stated in 1904, “a small demonstrate maintenance activities, system.” At its height the railroad while the majority could be placed on operated on approximately 1,000 display and grouped to show the miles of track between Hoboken, New changes that occurred during the era. Jersey, and Buffalo, New York — a slight amount when compared to a Furthermore, the Steamtown site leading railroad like the Pennsylvania, and collection represents topics or which controlled about 10,000 miles themes in the National Park System of track and operated from the East Plan that are worthy of commemora Coast through much of the Midwest. tion and currently unrepresented or underrepresented. Those themes As an interpretive historic resource, generally relate to America’s industrial the Scranton yard has unique heritage. The resources available potential. Most railroad museums in either on the 40-acre Steamtown site 2 management, and administrative responsibilities. A total of $8 million was appropriated to carry out the provision of the act, and $20 million was authorized to be appropriated for the administration of Steamtown National Historic Site. Finally, the legislation contained a provision that authorized the Legislative secretary of the interior to establish an advisory committee of up to 10 Mandate members. Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, Pennsylvania, was established by Public Law 99-591 on October 30, 1986, “to further public understanding and appreciation of the development of steam locomotives in the region.” The legislation designated £fT the site on lands that formerly comprised the DL&W Railroad yard. The approximately 40-acre site generally consists of the land, historic roundhouse, switchyard, and associated buildings, track, and equipment. The enabling legislation provided broad guidance to the National Park Service as the agency charged with developing a comprehensive management plan for Steamtown National Historic Site. It further provided the Park Service with authority regarding land and property acquisition by donation only, by Congress to add the area to the In addition, the city of Scranton had The mall project is being funded, in national park system, legislation entered into two agreements for the part, by a grant the city will receive designating the site and requiring future use of the property prior to from the U.S. Department of Housing preparation of a general management enactment of the legislation, one of and Urban Development through an plan is introduced and considered by which was unknown to the Congress urban development action grant. The Congress. Typical management plans and the National Park Service. The city of Scranton and the mall require further research, an assessment first agreement made on May 13, developer are subject to a review of of alternatives, and additional public 1983, involved leasing the site to the their plans by the Advisory Council on involvement. Further, Congress Steamtown Foundation for 99 years Historic Preservation under the Planning usually allows three full fiscal years to for the purposes of establishing and provisions of the National Historic complete the plan. The Steamtown maintaining a museum for the Preservation Act. legislation designated the area a exhibition of steam locomotives and influences national historic site without any prior other railroad-related items. The The commercial historic district, study and required that a compre second agreement, which was made originally established by Scranton The Steamtown National Historic Site hensive management plan containing before September 30, 1986, involved residents to stimulate historic planning effort has been influenced all the elements of a general making a major portion of the preservation and economic by a variety of factors that are not management plan be prepared by Steamtown site available for a revitalization, has been the focus of typical to other units of the national September 30, 1987, thus presenting shopping mall. Approximately 16 much discussion and debate in park system. These factors have unusually tight time constraints. acres of the DL&W Railroad yard were Scranton. Certain community placed certain constraints on NPS offered for mall parking areas. In interests would like to see the planning and, as a result, have The Steamtown National Historic Site return, the developer agreed to build Lackawanna Avenue buildings restored modified the concepts and details of is in the center of the city of Scranton, the shopping mall, provided the and adaptively reused. Other the Comprehensive Management Plan. Pennsylvania, adjacent to the central necessary funding could be arranged. community interests do not feel business district. Planning of any type At the time of the Steamtown that the restoration of the buildings is In establishing the Steamtown in an urban area is normally diverse legislation, the city of Scranton and economically feasible. Various plans National Historic Site on October 30, and complicated because of the the developer’s architects were well have been prepared suggesting 1986, Congress chose to deviate from physical, socioeconomic, and political underway in their plans and financing alternative uses for the area; however, the normal procedures used to variables. The city of Scranton was, for the mall and the use of the railroad the city has made no commitment to establish units of the national park and is, no exception to this opinion. yard. restore the buildings