NatioNal Park Service • U.S. DePartmeNt of the iNterior Foundation Document Catoctin Mountain Park Maryland March 2013 Foundation Document Cover: Autumn colors on Big Hunting Creek. NPS photo Above: Distillery Run. NPS photo ii Catoctin Mountain Park Contents Description of Catoctin Mountain Park 1 Introduction 5 Elements of a Foundation Document 6 Purpose Statement 6 Significance Statements 6 Interpretive Themes 6 fundamental resources and values 6 ­ assessment of Planning and Data Needs 7 ­ Special mandates and administrative commitments 7 ­ laws and Policies and NPS Policy-level conditions 7 ­ Park Purpose 9 Park Significance Statements 10 Interpretive Themes 12 Interpretive Theme 1: People – Life on the Mountain 12 Subthemes: 12 Interpretive Theme 2: Fun – Making Memories 12 Subthemes: 12 Interpretive Theme 3: Renewal – Second Chances 13 Subthemes: 13 Interpretive Theme 4: Renewal – Evolution and Recent History 13 Subthemes: 13 Fundamental Resources and Values 14 Significance Statement 1 14 Overview 14 Significance Statement 2 15 Overview 15 Significance Statement 3 15 Overview 15 iii Foundation Document Significance Statement 4 16 Overview 16 Significance Statement 5 16 Overview 16 Significance Statement 6 16 Significance Statement 7 17 overview 17 ­ Significance Statement 8 17 overview 17 ­ Other Important Resources and Values 19 Natural Sounds / Air Quality / Night Sky 19 Campgrounds and Picnic Areas 19 Trail System 19 Water Quantity and Quality 19 Naval Support Facility - Thurmont 19 Other Historic Structures 20 Archeology 20 Museum Collection 20 Assessment of Planning and Data Needs 21 Assessment of Fundamental Resources and Values 22 Assessment of Other Important Resources and Values 30 Identification of Key Parkwide Issues 39 Prioritization of Planning and Data Needs 39 Planning Needs 39 ­ Data Needs 41 ­ Appendixes 43 Appendix A: Enabling Legislation and Executive Orders 45 Appendix B: Related Federal Legislation, Regulations and Executive Orders 57 iv Catoctin Mountain Park Description of Catoctin Mountain Park Catoctin Mountain, comprises the easternmost ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Here, the story of human habitation is written on the land. Years of clear-cutting the hardwood forests for making charcoal and building homesteads and farming the valley left a deep mark on the landscape. Previous to European incursions by second-generation Americans and German immigrants, small tribal groups led a semi-nomadic existence—they farmed, hunted, and fished the land and rivers. They also quarried rhyolite for the production of lithic tools. Evidence of their presence in western Maryland can be traced back 3,500 years. The name Catoctin is thought to have come from the Kittocton, an American Indian tribe or clan that once lived between the mountain and the Potomac River. In 1732, European American settlers began arriving in the Monocacy River Valley, where the native people were seldom seen. Farming and small industries, such as sawmills, gave way to a burgeoning charcoal and iron industry whose structures are still visible today. Catoctin Mountain Park originated during the Great Depression. The federal government acquired over 10,000 acres in 1935 and established the Catoctin Recreational Demonstration Area (RDA) in 1936 with Executive Order 7496. The program created public parks out of marginal farmland near cities—most eventually became state or national parks. In 1936, a New Deal agency named the Works Progress Administration (WPA) (to be renamed the Works Cabin camp circa Catoctin Recreational Demonstration Area. NPS photo 1 Foundation Document To Blue Ridge Summit, Pa. Sabillasville Emmitsburg 81 Catoctin Mountain Park Smithsburg To HAGERSTOWN Gettysburg 64 77 Thurmont B u k c r Cunningham k a P L Falls a n t e z A 70 State Park R t n a o t a t S d i e t d a n m m Greenbrier i a 15 a r o State Park t e N R C n City of Frederick v I u i r A k e o Municipal Forest R SOUTH c e T M y o k c N R C & O Canal a MOUNTAIN Boonsboro Myersville c U n Towpath h o e t n STATE PARK O v u o a o M M S R Keedysville Gambrill Sharpsburg MARYLAND State Antietam National Park H l Battlefield i T 550 a r T U FREDERICK O 491 R S a Gathland v 70 e State Park n n ia 15 R h c o WEST 340 la c a k VIRGINIA p 340 Monocacy p National P A a Battlefield r d k Harpers a Ferry Brunswick o R R o a d P 15 n Harpers Ferry otom o ac Riv r 270 i National Historical e Z Park VIRGINIA t HAGERSTOWN ad M o R WATERSHED Lantz ld e d rfi a e o R e D n a e h l k l a e C i n re a v a t x C o c M o t i F t n d n a o o R m e t g n d li E F O w y e lle T n a r s V a i l ers Eyl Owens I N Hells d T A Delig oa N ht R Creek C U Deerfield 1300 ft r O Nature 396 m Sawmill e e M Trail Loop k E Y N P I d HAGERSTOWN a o CATOCTIN MOUNTAIN PARK R WATERSHED (National Park Service) Poplar l Owens Creek Grove S o Browns Farm Trail a o b i h ll c Fox a S v s i v l i le l le C Ro Blue Ridge ad h u Chestnut r Summit Overlook ch Spicebush Nature Trail 1520 ft R wheelchair-accessible trail k d 463 m u a r i u Q 1880 ft 573 m W Charcoal Thurmont Vista e s Round Trail 1499 ft t e 457 m r Meadow n d Hog Rock a Misty o ad Nature Trail R o Mount Greentop R al Cabins 550 Par entr Hog Rock M k C a 1610 ft r y l 491m a n d n a ah n a M C a t o To c Blue Blazes ti R Gettysburg, n Whiskey Still a i l Pa. T r To ra o ing il wheelchair-accessible a t d Smithsburg Herman Hauver Rd Hun Cree k and Hagerstown Big parking only and trail 77 Wolf Rock Visitor Center 1401 ft 806 rail 427 m no trail T 920 ft/280 m connection e ur at N Falls Cunningham Falls Dam Catoctin Mountain Chimney Rock William Houck Snack bar 1419 ft Boat rental Park Headquarters Area 840 ft 432 m 256 m THURMONT d Hunting a Creek 522 ft o l 159 m R i r a Lake r ye T e Contact m le Station tt Store B to ig S Boat launch Fishing pier Frank Bentz 77 d Memorial Lake a o 15 Cunningham Falls T R i Campground registration State Park p H r p e Dump station nch Foxvill u Bea ra e R i n Administrative Office r B n w oa t o d i n T i n t g c D o t r a C d a C Cat Rock o r R e 1562 ft e 476 m k h c n a r d B r a o o y R r y r P a e w v w u o To a ll y B H o Wolfsville High Run H c i in n t e c c S o t a l C N THURMONT WATERSHED a 806 n I o i t A a N d T n i a a o t R N n e u c Hiking trail Parking U o a M n r u n O i F t c Horse and hiking trail Ranger station CUNNINGHAM FALLS STATE PARK in o t M t c a o (Maryland Park Service) C t a Steep trail; arrows Picnic area C point uphill Bobs Hill 1765 ft Overlook Cabin camp 538 m Unpaved road Wheelchair-accessible N Public campground I Catoctin National Recreation Trail: T hiking trail Sleeping shelter C horse and hiking trail Mudd y C Ru n O a t o Manor Area c T t i n Park Central Road is closed A T r for 2.5 miles from the visitor a i center for winter recreation C l mid-December to mid-March. Playground Bu zzard Visitor Center Br 0 0.5 1 Kilometer anc h Scales and Tales Aviary 0 0.5 1 Mile d a Catoctin Furnace Trail o L R it t le pedestrian bridge over road North m r a H F u Catoctin Iron Furnace nt in C 495 ft g ree k 151m k n i M Catoctin Furnace 2 Catoctin Mountain Park Projects Administration in 1939) hired hundreds of local men to create maintenance shops, a visitor center, and cabin camps. Later, in 1939, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) set up camp in today’s Round Meadow, tasked with returning the Catoctin landscape to native eastern hardwood forest. The WPA operated from 1933 to 1942 providing unskilled manual labor jobs related to conservation and the development of natural resources in rural lands owned by federal, state, and local governments. At Catoctin, the Civilian Conservation Corps planted trees, turned old farmland into open meadows, and restored the streams to their natural flow—all of which revitalized the land and brought back native plants and wildlife. The Civilian Conservation Corps also built roads, trails, cabins, guardrails, stone walls, and shelters, and conducted historic preservation projects and archeological work on nearby Catoctin Furnace.