Pawnee Pioneer Trails Scenic & Historic Byway Interpretive Plan Final Draft 3/16/08 This document is the work product of Exhibit Design Associates, a Colorado corporation, working in cooperation with the USDA Center for Design and Interpretation on behalf of the Pawnee Pioneer Trails Scenic and Historic Byway Council. 1269 Chasm Drive Estes Park, CO 80517 970-577-5436 www.exhibitdesignassociates.com Pawnee Pioneer Trails Interpretive Plan Table of Contents Table of Contents Table of Contents .................................................................................................. a Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1 Purpose & Need............................................................................................................... 1 Byway History and Organization ........................................................................................ 1 Mission & Vision Statements ............................................................................................. 2 Objectives for Interpretive Media ....................................................................................... 2 Methodology ................................................................................................................... 3 Orientation Map and Graphic Panel .......................................................................... 5 Background .......................................................................................................... 7 Natural Resource Summary .............................................................................................. 7 Geography & Land Use ................................................................................................................. 7 Geology & Paleontology ............................................................................................................... 7 Climate & Plant Communities ........................................................................................................ 8 Wildlife ...................................................................................................................................... 9 Cultural Resource Summary ............................................................................................ 10 Human History .......................................................................................................................... 10 Archaeology ............................................................................................................................. 11 Audience Analysis ................................................................................................ 15 National Tourism & Recreation Trends .............................................................................. 15 Profile of the American Traveler .................................................................................................. 15 Heritage Tourism ...................................................................................................................... 15 Activity Participation .................................................................................................................. 16 Internet Use Among Travelers .................................................................................................... 16 Tourism and Recreation Trends in Colorado ...................................................................... 17 New Millennium Tourism Downturn .............................................................................................. 17 Profile of Colorado Visitors .......................................................................................................... 18 Heritage Tourism in Colorado ...................................................................................................... 20 Tourism and Recreation Trends in Northeast Colorado ........................................................ 21 Strategic Implications of Byway Audience Analysis ............................................................ 23 Segmentation of the Byway Audience .............................................................................. 24 Table 1: Byway Audience Segmentation ...................................................................................... 24 Existing Interpretive Opportunities ......................................................................... 25 Table 2: Existing Interpretive Opportunities ................................................................................. 25 Museums in Byway Communities ..................................................................................... 29 Briggsdale Heritage House .......................................................................................................... 29 Grover Depot Museum ............................................................................................................... 29 Fort Morgan Museum ................................................................................................................. 30 Overland Trail Museum (Sterling) ................................................................................................ 31 Statements of Significance .................................................................................... 33 PPTSHB Statements of Significance.................................................................................. 33 Table 3: Topic Rankings ............................................................................................................ 34 Central Theme .............................................................................................................. 34 Primary Themes ............................................................................................................ 35 Human Culture & History ............................................................................................................ 35 Migration and Settlement Patterns............................................................................................... 35 Land Use .................................................................................................................................. 35 Geology & Paleontology ............................................................................................................. 35 Ecology .................................................................................................................................... 35 Opportunities for New Media ................................................................................. 37 Table 4: Media Prescription ........................................................................................................ 37 Gateways ........................................................................................................... 41 Ault ............................................................................................................................. 42 Fort Morgan .................................................................................................................. 43 Sterling ........................................................................................................................ 44 Implementation Priorities & Cost Estimates ............................................................. 45 Stone Line Camp at Pawnee Buttes .................................................................................. 45 a Pawnee Pioneer Trails Interpretive Plan Table of Contents Website ........................................................................................................................ 46 Traveling Exhibit(s) ....................................................................................................... 47 Byway Movie ................................................................................................................. 48 Gateways in Ault, Fort Morgan ........................................................................................ 48 Wayside Exhibits ........................................................................................................... 48 Gateway in Sterling ....................................................................................................... 49 Full-Color Bird Tour Brochure .......................................................................................... 49 Appendix A: Bibliography ..................................................................................... 50 Printed Material ............................................................................................................. 50 Internet-Based Resources............................................................................................... 52 Appendix B: Byway Council Members .................................................................... 53 Appendix C: Audience Analysis Data ..................................................................... 55 Table 5: Domestic Trip Activity Participation ................................................................................ 55 Table 6: Fastest-Growing Activities, 1982-2002 ........................................................................... 55 Table 7: Participation Trends in Land-Based Outdoor Recreation, 1994-95 to 2000-02 ...................... 56 Table 8: Main Purpose of Colorado Overnight Pleasure Trips vs.