Strategy and Response in Maritime Cultural Resource Management Della Aleta Scott-Ireton
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For more information, please contact [email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES PRESERVES, PARKS, AND TRAILS: STRATEGY AND RESPONSE IN MARITIME CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT By DELLA ALETA SCOTT-IRETON A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Degree Awarded: Fall Semester, 2005 Copyright © 2005 Della Aleta Scott-Ireton All Rights Reserved The members of the Committee approve the dissertation of Della Aleta Scott-Ireton defended on October 31, 2005: ____________________________________ Cheryl Ward Professor Directing Dissertation ____________________________________ Sally McRorie Outside Committee Member ____________________________________ Allys Palladino-Craig Outside Committee Member ____________________________________ Michael Uzendoski Committee Member _____________________________________ Glen Doran Committee Member ____________________________________ Roger Smith Committee Member ___________________________________ Margaret Leshikar-Denton Committee Member Approved: __________________________________________ Dean Falk, Chair, Department of Anthropology The Office of Graduate Studies has verified and approved the above named committee members. ii This work is dedicated to my parents, Douglas and Aleta Scott, whose support and love has made everything possible. And to my husband, John Drew Ireton, whom I love. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of a number of people to whom I am greatly indebted. I thank my major professor Cheryl Ward for good advice and keeping me on track, and Allys Palladino- Craig, Michael Uzendoski, and Glen Doran for their experience, wisdom, and willingness to sit on my committee. Peggy Leshikar-Denton provided the impetus for the Cayman Islands Maritime Heritage Trail and shared her home and kitties during my many visits to the Islands; she became a dear friend through the course of the project. Roger Smith again gave to me his time, experience, vast knowledge of underwater archaeology and cultural resource management, support and encouragement. He is my colleague, mentor, and friend; I learn from him every day. At the Cayman Islands National Museum I especially thank Director Anita Ebanks for museum support and volunteers Sue and Robin Gibb for assisting in site visitation and selection. Dennis Denton helped in all steps of the trail project, made me welcome in his home, and shared his excellent wine. All members of the Trail Partners contributed their valuable time, unique talents, and good ideas, ultimately making the trail project an enjoyable and successful endeavor; my thanks to each of them. Maritime resource managers around the world shared their knowledge and experiences and I appreciate their candor and insight. In particular I thank Chris Amer, Charles Beeker, Art Cohn, John Halsey, Susan Langley, Daniel LaRoche, Richard Lawrence, Keith Meverden, Jim Spirek, Mark Wilde-Ramsing, and Joe Zarzynski. I thank my friends at work, in the field, and at school for ideas, advice, and sympathetic ears. Sincere gratitude to my family who make my world complete: Daddy, Mom, Dana, Jim, Rick, Diane, Cara, Lamar, and Shirley. Finally, for John – thank you for putting up with more than any husband ever should have to endure. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures...............................................................................................................vi Abstract ...................................................................................................................... viii 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................1 2. MUSEOLOGY, MANAGEMENT, AND PUBLIC EDUCATION .............................11 3. EXPERIENCE IN UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGICAL PRESERVES, SHIPWRECK PARKS, AND MARITIME HERITAGE TRAILS..............................42 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS MARITIME HERITAGE TRAIL: A CASE STUDY .......................................................................................76 5. STRATEGIES AND ISSUES ................................................................................98 6. CONCLUSION: MUSEOLOGY AND MARITIME SITES ....................................124 APPENDIX A.............................................................................................................132 APPENDIX B.............................................................................................................134 APPENDIX C ............................................................................................................136 REFERENCES..........................................................................................................140 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH........................................................................................161 v LIST OF FIGURES 1. A diver visits the wreck of SS Copenhagen, Pompano Beach, Florida...................3 2. Divers explore the wreck of El Infante, galleon of the 1733 Spanish plate fleet wrecked in the Florida Keys .................................................................22 3. Heritage tourists explore Castillo de San Marcos, St. Augustine, one of Florida’s premier heritage tourism attractions............................................28 4. Local people, tourists, and news crew speak with archaeologists recording the Ponte Vedra Wreck, Ponte Vedra, Florida......................................31 5. Historic photo of City of Hawkinsville, Suwannee River, Florida, and the bronze plaque designating the wreck as a State Underwater Archaeological Preserve.......................................................................................37 6. Florida’s Shipwreck Preserves poster features all underwater archaeological preserves around the state...........................................................49 7. Brochures for South Carolina’s Underwater Heritage Trails describe diving conditions ...................................................................................................55 8. Adelaide’s Underwater Heritage Trail features signage for the South Australia shipwreck Star of Greece; the red buoy marking the wreck is visible in the distance........................................................................59 9. The Cayman Islands Maritime Heritage Trail Grand Cayman poster features photos and information about sites on Grand Cayman...........................86 10. The Cayman Islands Maritime Heritage Trail Sister Islands poster features photos and information about sites on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.................................................................................................87 11. Roadside signs for the Cayman Islands Maritime Heritage Trail correspond to information on the poster/brochures ..............................................89 12. The wreck of Glamis on East End reef, Grand Cayman, will become the Cayman Islands’ first Shipwreck Preserve........................................95 vi 13. Brochures are produced for each of Florida’s Underwater Archaeological Preserves...................................................................................108 vii ABSTRACT One of the most pressing concerns facing archaeologists and cultural resource managers in the twenty-first century is how to protect cultural resources for meaningful research and future investigation while ensuring access to citizens who, in many cases, own the resource. In the face of the failure of legislation to protect cultural resources, public education and outreach programs appear to be the most effective tools available to managers. Maritime cultural resources are interpreted for the public with the aim of encouraging access, educating visitors, and preserving the resource. These are fine goals which, in most cases, are met. The problem, however, is that while interpreted in situ maritime resources often are promoted as underwater or open-air museums, they rarely are managed as such. Museological techniques and, especially, the theoretical approach of the New Museology can effectively be applied in the establishment and management of underwater archaeological preserves, shipwreck parks, and maritime heritage trails. This dissertation examines the history and new approaches of museology to provide a theoretical background, and explores existing preserve, park, and trail programs to provide an overview of current practices. Knowledge gained from practical experience together with the theoretical approach of New Museology is applied to the public interpretation of in situ maritime cultural resources. The result, the Cayman Islands Maritime Heritage Trail, is presented as a case study for the use of museum theory and working models in creating new heritage attractions. Strategies and issues in creating preserves, parks, and trails, both theoretical and practical, are discussed. This research contributes to the field of submerged and maritime cultural resource management a comprehensive, scholarly discussion of practical and theoretical strategies used in public interpretation of in situ maritime cultural resources viii and the testing of these