National Park Service Rock Creek Park U.S. Department of the Interior Date: 02/27/2020 ASSESSMENT OF ACTIONS HAVING AN EFFECT ON HISTORIC PROPERTIES A. DESCRIPTION OF UNDERTAKING 1. Park: Rock Creek Park 2. Project Description: Project Name: Rock Creek Park Sign Plan Prepared by: Bradley Krueger Date Prepared: 02/04/2020 Telephone: 703-289-2509 PEPC Project Number: 82573 Locations: County, State: District ofColumbia, DC Describe project: Rock Creek Park is in the process of developing a unified plan for signage for US Reservation 339 and other properties administered by Rock Creek Park in NW Washington DC (to include units ofthe Civil War Defenses ofWashington). Existing signage is inconsistent with modem sign standards, having been installed incrementally over the last 20 years. Further, many areas do not have signage that are in need ofit for identification and visitor wayfindinding. This plan represents a sign palette or system that can be used an implemented in the future and provides a consistent and unified look. This system is based on modem unicore system and is being developed by Hunt Designs who developed sign system for NAMA. Area of potential effects (as defined in 36 CFR 800.16[d]) The Area ofPotential Effect (APE) consists of all of Rock Creek Park (U.S. Reservation 339) and its administered sites in Northwest and Northeast Washington, DC. Each individual sign to be replaced will have its own localized APE. As most ofthe signs under this plan will be replaced, the limits ofdisturbance will mostly be within previously disturbed soils. 3. Has the area of potential effects been surveyed to identify historic properties? No X Yes Source or reference: Civil War Defenses ofWashington/ Fort Circle Parks NRHP Nomination [Additional Documentation and Boundary Increase] (2015) Civil War Fort Sites, Defenses ofWashington NRHP Nomination [Boundary Increase], #78003439 (1978) Civil War Fort Sites, Defenses ofWashington NRHP Nomination, #74000274 (1974) Dumbarton Oaks Park and Montrose Park NRHP Nomination, #67000028 (1967) Linnaean Hill (Boundary Increase) NRHP Nomination, #11000466 (2011) Georgetown Historic District NRHP Nomination, #67000025 (1967) Georgetown Historic District NRHP Nomination [Amended], #67000025 (2003) Meridian Hill Historic District NRHP Nomination, #14000211 (2014) Meridian Hill Park NRHP Nomination, #74000273 (1974) Montrose Park NRHP Nomination, #07001178 (2007) Old Stone House NRHP Nomination, #73000219 (1973) Peirce Mill NRHP Nomination, #69000014 (1969) Pierce Springhouse and Barn, #73000222 (1973) Pierce-Klingle Mansion NRHP Nomination, #73000223 (1973) Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway NRHP Nomination, #05000367 (2005) Rock Creek Park NRHP Nomination, #91001524 (1991) Peirce Mill NRHP Nomination (expanded nomination), #69000014 (2012) Rock Creek Park NRHP Nomination (Boundary Increase] (DRAFf 2016) Parkways ofthe National Capital Region, 1913-1965 NRHP Nomination, #645000086 (1991) Glover-Archbold Park NRHP Nomination, #06001260 (2007) 4. Potentially Affected Resource(s): Archeological Resources Present: Yes Archeological Resources Notes: A variety ofprehistoric, historic, and multi-component archeological sites are under the administration of Rock Creek Park. Most of the signs will be replacements and installed within the same footprint as the existing ones, thus staying within previously disturbed soils. In some cases, existing sign posts will be utilized ifthey are found to be in good condition, thereby reducing ground disturbance. Additionally, the majority of the signs are located along roadways and trails in areas that have experience previous disturbance, thus further reducing the potential for impacts to archeology. For new signs and those that need to be relocated, there is a potential to encounter archeological resources during the installation process. For signs that are within or adjacent to archeologically sensitive areas, archeological testing will need to take place in advance or archeological monitoring will need to occur during installation. Historical Structures/Resources Present: Yes Property Name: Rock Creek Park; Sherrill Drive LCS: 100084 Asset: 339-R07 Property Name: Rock Creek Park;Joyce Road LCS: 100087 Asset: 339-Rl0 Property Name: RCPP; Parkway Roadway LCS: 545774 Asset: 360-01 Property Name: Rock Creek Park; Grant Road LCS: 100083 Asset: 339-R06 Property Name: Rock Creek Park; Ross Drive LCS: 23324 Asset: 339-R12 Property Name: Rock Creek Park; Piney Branch Parkway LCS: 100082 Asset: 339-ROS Property Name: Rock Creek Park; Bingham Drive LCS: 100086 Asset: 339-R09 Property Name: Rock Creek Park; Glover Road LCS: 23323 Asset: 339-R11 Property Name: Rock Creek Park; Beach Drive LCS: 23305 Asset: 339-R03 Property Name: Rock Creek Park; Wise Road LCS: 100085 Asset: 339-R08 Historical Structures/Resources Notes: A variety of historic structures and resources are under the administration of Rock Creek Park. These include, but are not limited to, historic roadways, bridges, culverts, buildings, earthworks, monuments/memorials, and other built structures. As this project consists ofreplacing signage, mostly along roadways and trails, it is highly unlikely for any impacts to occur to historic structures. These signs, while aesthetically compatible to their surroundings, to not contribute to the significance ofthe historic districts and properties. While some new signs are being proposed, they will be situated immediately adjacent to roads and trails and not expected to impact historic structures. Ifa sign post requires replacement, it will typically be within the same location as the current post and occupy the same disturbed footprint. Ifnew signs are proposed or an existing sign needs to be relocated, then additional compliance review and approval will be needed to ensure no impacts will occur to historic structures. Therefore, this project is not anticipated to adversely affect historic structures and resources. Cultural Landscapes Present: Yes Property Name: Linnaean Hill Cultural Landscape, CLAIMS #600032 LCS: Location: ROCR Property Name: Montrose Park Cultural Landscape, CLAIMS #600115 LCS: Location: ROCR Property Name: Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway Cultural Landscape, CLAIMS #600285 LCS: Location: ROCR Property Name: Civil War Defenses of Washington/Fort Circle-ROCR Cultural Landscape, CLAIMS #600138 LCS: Location: ROCR Property Name: Meridian Hill Park Cultural Landscape, CLAIMS #600106 LCS: Location: ROCR Property Name: Rock Creek Park Cultural Landscape, CLAIMS #600031 LCS: Location: ROCR Property Name: Pinehurst Parkway Cultural Landscape, CLAIMS #600160 LCS: Location: ROCR Property Name: Francis Scott Key Memorial Park Cultural Landscape, CLAIMS #600260 LCS: Location: ROCR Property Name: Fort Slocum Cultural Landscape, CLAIMS #600149 LCS: Location: ROCR Property Name: Dumbarton Oaks Park Cultural Landscape, CLAIMS #600286 LCS: Location: ROCR Property Name: Glover Archbold Park Cultural Landscape, CLAIMS #600114 LCS: Location: ROCR Property Name: Old Stone House Cultural Landscape, CLAIMS #600153 LCS: Location: ROCR Property Name: Grant Circle Cultural Landscape, CLAIMS #600164 LCS: Location: ROCR Cultural Landscapes Notes: Several different cultural landscapes are under the administration of Rock Creek Park. Given the historic nature of Rock Creek Park and the different landscapes and settings ofits administered sites, four different context-sensitive design types are being proposed (i.e., Urban Context, Natural Environment and Trails, Regional and Local Use, Historic Sites and Statuary). The signs adhere to and are based off the NPS UniGuide Standards for identification, wayfinding, and visitor information. As such, this project will see the standardization of signs throughout the park. Some ofthe signs may slightly increase in size, to improve readability and conform to modern standards, while others will likely decrease in size to be more streamlined and easier to read. As this effort primarily consists ofsign replacement, there will not be significant visual impacts. Additionally, certain signs will now feature a blank band on the top ofthe sign to help identify particular park sites or components as NPS-managed sites (i.e., black band on the top with the NPS arrowhead logo and 'Department ofthe Interior, National Park Service'). These changes will be noticeable, but not anticipated to detract from the landscape or needlessly attract the eye ofthe casual observer. New signs will make sure ofthe context-sensitive design types so that they are aesthetically compatible and sympathetic to the surroundings. While the new signs will represent new, non-historic features into the cultural landscapes, they are ultimately reversible and not anticipated to have any permanent or lasting effects on either the landscape or setting. Therefore, this project is not anticipated to adversely affect cultural landscapes. Ethnographic Resources Present: No Ethnographic Resources Notes: There are no ethnographic resources within the APE. Therefore, this project is not anticipated to adversely affect ethnographic resources. 5. The proposed action will: {check as many as apply) No Destroy, remove, or alter features/elements from a historic structure No Replace historic features/elements in kind No Add non-historic features/elements to a historic structure Yes Alter or remove features/ elements ofa historic setting or environment (inc. terrain) Yes Add non-historic features/elements (inc. visual, audible, or atmospheric) to a historic setting or cultural landscape No Disturb, destroy,