B09_Questions_and_Answers_0001.docx

140P5123Q0019, Amendment 0001 Questions and Answers

1. The RFQ states Although the primary focus of this effort is the eleven-mile stretch of Great River Road within St. John the Baptist County, the study should acknowledge other properties that are historically associated but outside the parish, for example Oak Alley Plantation, San Francisco Plantation, and Homeplace Plantation. It is our understanding that the Great River road refers to a series of roads that run the entire length of the Mississippi River on both its east and west sides. Therefore, will an appropriate study addressing the national and regional historic context of the Great River Road in Saint John the Baptist Parish be required to address, at a similar level of detail, resources associated with the approximately 13.5 mi east/north stretch of the Great River Road in Saint John the Baptist Parish (such as Montegut Plantation, Godchaux--Reserve Plantation, the trail of the 1811 Slave Revolt [beginning at the Kid Ory House], and so on)? We do note that the requirement for the windshield-level survey is constrained to the study area, which we understand to be restricted to the west/south stretch of the Great River Road in Saint John the Baptist Parish.

Answer: This study is an initial effort aimed at placing the eleven-mile stretch of Great River Road within a historic context. As research is conducted NPS expects other properties associated with the same historic context to be identified. NPS would like the other associated properties to be noted within the narrative of the historic context so that if appropriate a future study can address them in more detail/document them. It is not expected that properties outside the study area would be included in the windshield level surveyed.

2. Due to the general settlement/platting patterns in this area and the potential need to address relevant historically Black settlements that may have minimal frontage along what was historically considered a showcase route for the wealthy, we could see the need to include some settlements that stretch south from the Great River Road. Would this be appropriate/expected, or will the study area, especially as it pertains to deliverables C and D, be restricted to parcels and resources immediately adjacent to Highway 18?

Answer: Yes, it would be appropriate to include related resources such as those described in the question. The intent of the project is to gather information to inform possible future NHL documentation as such it is important that the full extent of the associated historic resources are included.

3. The example resource list includes a section for noncontributing resources within the study area, however, the listed requirements for the windshield-level survey only direct that previously surveyed resources and previously undocumented resources "that appear to be associated with historic contexts" be included. Can you confirm whether the windshield-level survey must document resources that do not appear to be associated with the historic contexts established in deliverable A--meaning resources that do not fit within the geographic, thematic, or temporal parameters as defined in the context study?

Answer: Non-contributing resources do not need to be documented within the inventory, however, the scope of work does require "an overview of the proposed district's integrity" (Section D). In discussing the overall integrity of the district, it would be expected that the number and type of non-contributing resources were discussed with some specificity.