|
44718 Federal Register 48, No. 190 / Thursday, September 2f 93 / Notices
<br />5. Creating mechanisms for identi(ying
<br />and resolving conflicts about historic
<br />Preservation issues.
<br />The development of historic contexts,
<br />for example, should be based on the
<br />professional input of all disciplines
<br />involved in preservation and not be.-
<br />limited to a single discipline. For
<br />prehistoric archeology, for example,
<br />data from fields such as geology,
<br />geomorphology and geography may also
<br />be needed. The individuals and
<br />organizations to be involved will
<br />depend, in part, on those present or
<br />interested in the planning area.
<br />Documents Resulting from the Planning
<br />Process
<br />In most cases, the phoning process
<br />produces documents that explain haw
<br />the process works and that discuss the
<br />historic contexts and related goals and
<br />priorities. While the process con operate
<br />in the absence of these documents,
<br />planning documents are important
<br />because they are the most effective
<br />means of communicating the process
<br />and its recommendations to others.
<br />Planning documents also record
<br />decisions about historic properties.
<br />As various parts of the planning
<br />process are reviewed and revised to
<br />reflect current information, related
<br />documents must also be updated.
<br />Planning documents should be created
<br />in a form that can be easily revised. It is
<br />also recommended that the format,
<br />language and organization of any
<br />documents or other materials (visual
<br />Bids, etc.) containing preservation
<br />Planning information meet the needs of
<br />Prospective users.
<br />Developing Historic Contexts
<br />General Approach
<br />Available informati -m about historic
<br />properties must be divided into
<br />manageable units before it can be useful
<br />for planning purposes. Major decisions
<br />about'ideutifying, evaluating, registering
<br />and treating historic properties are most
<br />reliably made in the context of other
<br />related properties. A historic context is
<br />an organizational format that groups
<br />information about related historic
<br />properties, based on a theme,
<br />geographic limits and chronological
<br />period. A single historic context
<br />describes one or more aspects of the
<br />historic development of an area,
<br />considering history, architecture,
<br />archeology, engineering and culture: and
<br />identifies the significant patterns that
<br />individual historic properties represent,
<br />for example, Coal Mining in
<br />Northeastern Pennsylvania between
<br />:660 and 1930. A at of historic contexts
<br />is a comprehensive summary of all
<br />aspects of the history of the aren.
<br />The historic context is the cornerstone
<br />of the planning process. The goal of
<br />Preservation planning is to identify,
<br />evaluate, register and treat the full range
<br />of properties representing each historic
<br />context, rather than only one or two
<br />types of properties. Identification
<br />activities are organized to ensure that
<br />research and survey activities include
<br />Properties representing all aspects of the
<br />historic context. Evaluation uses the
<br />historic context as the framework within
<br />which to apply the criteria for evalution
<br />to specific properties or property types.
<br />Decisions about treatment of properties
<br />are made with the goal of treating the
<br />range of properties in the context.'I'lie
<br />use of historic contexts in organizing
<br />major preservation activities ensures
<br />that those activities result in the
<br />preservation of the wide variety of
<br />properties that represent our history,
<br />rather than only a small, biased sample
<br />of properties,
<br />I istoric contexts, as theoretical
<br />constructs, are linked to actual historic
<br />properties through the concept of
<br />Property type. Property types permit the
<br />development of plans for identification,
<br />evaluation and treatment even in the
<br />absence of complete knowledge of
<br />individual properties. Like the historic
<br />context, property types are artifical
<br />constructs which may be revised as
<br />necessary.
<br />Historic contexts can be developed at
<br />a variety of scales appropriate for local.
<br />State and regional planning. Given the
<br />probability of historic contexts
<br />overlapping in an area, it is important to
<br />coordinate the development and use of
<br />contexts at all levels. Generally. the
<br />State Historic Preservation Office
<br />possesses the most complete body of
<br />information about historic properties
<br />and, in practice, is in the best position to
<br />perform this function.
<br />The development of hislonc contexts
<br />generally results in documents lknt
<br />describe the prehistoric processes or
<br />Patterns that define the context. Each of
<br />the contexts selected should be
<br />developed to the point of identifying
<br />important property types to be useful in
<br />later preservation decision- making. The
<br />amount of detail included in these
<br />summaries will vary depending on the
<br />level (local, state, regional, or national)
<br />at which the contexts are developed and
<br />on their intended uses. For most
<br />planning purposes, a synopsis of the
<br />written description of the historic
<br />context is sufficient,
<br />Creating a Historic Context
<br />Generally, historic contexts should
<br />not be constructed so broadly as to
<br />include, all property types under a single
<br />historic context or so narrowly as to
<br />contain only one property type per
<br />historic context. The following
<br />procedures should be followed in
<br />creating a historic context.
<br />1. Identify the concept: time period and
<br />geagrophicol limits for the historic
<br />Context
<br />Existing information, concepts,
<br />theories, models and descriptions should
<br />he used as the basis for defining historic
<br />contexts. Biases in primary and
<br />secondary sources should be identified
<br />and accounted for when existing
<br />information is used in defining historic
<br />contexts.
<br />The identification and description of
<br />historic contexts should incorporate
<br />contributions from all disciplines
<br />involved in historic preservation. The
<br />chronological period and geographical
<br />area of each historic context should be
<br />defined after the conceptual basis is
<br />established. However, there may be
<br />exceptions, especially in defining
<br />Prehistoric contexts where drainage
<br />systems or physiographic regions often
<br />are outlined first. The geographical
<br />boundaries for historic contexts should
<br />not be based upon contemporary
<br />political, project or other contemporary
<br />boundaries if those boundaries do not
<br />coincide with historical boundaries. For
<br />example, boundaries for prehistoric
<br />contexts will have little relationship to
<br />contemporary city, county or state
<br />boundaries.
<br />2. Assemble the existing information
<br />about the historic context
<br />a. Collecting information: Several
<br />kinds of information are needed to
<br />construct a preservation plan,
<br />Information about the history of the area
<br />encompassed by the historic context
<br />must be collected, including any
<br />iuformution about historic properties
<br />that have already been identified.
<br />Existing survey or inventory entries are
<br />an important source of information
<br />about historic properties. Other sources
<br />may include literature on prehistory,
<br />history, architecture and the
<br />environment; social and environmental
<br />impact assessments; county and State
<br />land use plans: architectural and folklife
<br />studies and oral histories; ethnographic
<br />research; State historic inventories and
<br />registers; technical reports prepared for
<br />Section 106 or other assessments of
<br />historic properties: and and direct
<br />consultation with individuals and
<br />organized groups.
<br />In addition, organizations and groups
<br />that may have important roles in
<br />defining historic contexts and values
<br />
|