Attachment_1_-_Foundation_Documents.pdf

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Foundation Document Overview Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site Pennsylvania

Contact Information For more information about the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site Foundation Document, contact: http://www.nps.gov/alpo or (814) 893-6322 or write to:

Superintendent, Western Pennsylvania Parks, Flight 93 National Memorial, P.O. Box 911, Shanksville, PA 15560

Attachment 1

Purpose

ALLEGHENY PORTAGE RAILROAD

NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE preserves the history and remnants of the Allegheny Portage Railroad and interprets the Pennsylvania Mainline Canal’s system of canals, railroads, and inclined planes and the impact these had on the early development of the nation.

Significance

Significance statements express why Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site resources and values are important enough to merit national park unit designation.

Statements of significance describe why an area is important within a global, national, regional, and systemwide context.

These statements are linked to the purpose of the park unit, and are supported by data, research, and consensus.

Significance statements describe the distinctive nature of the park and inform management decisions, focusing efforts on preserving and protecting the most important resources and values of the park unit.

• The challenges presented by the terrain in the Allegheny Mountains led to a number of transportation and engineering innovations that advanced industrial development in the United States, including wire rope, containerized cargo, mechanized inclined planes, locomotive technology, steam engines, and tunnel construction.

• The Staple Bend Tunnel was the first railroad tunnel in the United States.

• Rising more than 1,400 feet and stretching for 36 miles, the Allegheny Portage Railroad was the first and largest system of inclined planes and levels in the United States.

• John Roebling solved the technical dilemmas associated with the Allegheny Portage Railroad’s use of hemp rope to raise rail cars and canal boats by inventing wire rope. Wire rope later allowed internationally significant advancements in a variety of industrial fields, including bridge building, mining, and elevators.

• Completed in 1840 at a cost of $12 million ($280 million in 2012 1 dollars), the Pennsylvania Mainline Canal was the largest, most complex, and costliest single public works project in the United States.

• The Allegheny Portage Railroad and Pennsylvania Mainline Canal shaped patterns of regional economic and social development and were catalysts for industrial development in western Pennsylvania.

• The Allegheny Portage Railroad conquered the Allegheny Mountains, established a major transportation corridor across Pennsylvania, and paved the way for the iconic Pennsylvania Railroad and westward expansion.

1. Source: Handbook of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, http://www.minneapolisfed.org/community_education/teacher/calc/hist1800.cfm

Fundamental Resources and Values

Fundamental resources and values are those features, systems, processes, experiences, stories, scenes, sounds, smells, or other attributes determined to merit primary consideration during planning and management processes because they are essential to achieving the purpose of the park and maintaining its significance.

• Staple Bend Tunnel. The first railroad tunnel in the United States; it is 901 feet long with 150 feet of cut stone lining on both ends. The west entrance retains its Romanesque Revival façade.

• The historic archeological foundation of Engine House 6. The only viewable engine house foundation in the park unit, currently protected by Exhibit Shelter

6. The shelter includes a full-scale interpretive display of machinery used to raise and lower rail cars and canal boats on the incline.

• Lemon House. A stone structure at the head of Incline 6.

The house was operated as a tavern by Sam and Jean Lemon to serve travelers and workers on the Allegheny Portage Railroad.

• Skew Arch Bridge. A 60-foot-long stone bridge that was constructed by hand and without mortar to carry the Huntingdon-Cambria-Indiana Turnpike over Incline 6 at an obtuse angle. The bridge builders made use of a rare form of masonry to accommodate the angle of the turnpike as it intersected with the portage.

• The portage trace. Remnants of sleepers, culverts, and inclined planes and levels, as well as historic archeological remnants of the other engine houses and supporting structures.

• Opportunity to understand and appreciate early American engineering accomplishments. Engineering feats and innovations used to raise and lower railcars and canal boats over 36 miles and 1,400 feet that were marvels in their time because of their scale and precision.

• Sense of discovery. Forests and hills surrounding many of the resources associated with the portage that still exemplify the remote and rugged nature of the Allegheny Mountains in the early 19th century. The juxtaposition of human accomplishment within a rugged natural setting gives the visitor a sense of discovery and is important for providing a context for the incredible challenges that were overcome during the construction and operation of the portage railroad.

• Allegheny Portage Railroad museum collection. Books, articles, photographs, archeological, and architectural objects related to the Allegheny Portage Railroad component of the Pennsylvania Mainline Canal, and transportation in the region.

Other Important Resources & Values

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site may contain other resources and values that may not be fundamental to the purpose and significance of the park, but are important to consider in management and planning decisions. These are referred to as other important resources and values.

• The 6 to 10 Trail system. Multiuse trail system that follows the remnants of the old portage and new portage trace on the eastern slope of the Allegheny Mountains. The trail follows the original portage in some sections and contains newly constructed sections where the portage was replaced by development.

• Path of the Flood Trail. Multiuse trail that runs from Franklin to Ehrenfeld and is a combination of the old portage trace and Southern Cambria trolley line. The Staple Bend Tunnel Trail is an important segment of the Path of the Flood Trail.

• The new portage trace. A section that includes modern grading and engineering techniques as an advanced alternative to the system of inclines and levels. Most of the trace within the park includes the 6 to 10 Trail.

• Other historic features that illustrate the role of the Allegheny Portage Railroad and the Pennsylvania Canal in the nation’s history. Historic remnants related to transportation, engineering, and commerce within the Allegheny Portage Railroad corridor include coal mines, manufacturing plants, mills, roads, and trails.

Interpretive Themes

Interpretive themes are often described as the key stories or concepts that visitors should understand after visiting a park—they define the most important ideas or concepts communicated to visitors about a park unit. Themes are derived from, and should reflect, park purpose, significance, resources, and values. The set of interpretive themes is complete when it provides the structure necessary for park staff to develop opportunities for visitors to explore and relate to all of the park significances and fundamental resources and values.

• During the Industrial Revolution, an explosion of ideas and technology led to the creation of the Mainline Canal and fueled economic growth.

• The Mainline Canal facilitated new opportunities and experiences and embodied new ideas that changed lives.

• The natural landscape of Pennsylvania challenged planners to find innovative solutions to overcome natural obstacles and provided the natural resources necessary to construct and operate the Mainline Canal.

Lake Altoona

Hinckston Run Reservoir

Saltlick Reservoir

Cresson Lake

Plain Nine Reservoir

Blair Gap Reservoir

Legend

Visitor Center

Park Headquarters

Interstate

State Highway

State & County Road

Local Road

Railroad

Stream/River

Lake/Pond

City Limit

County Boundary

Park Boundary

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

Staple Bend Tunnel Unit

Blair County

Be df or d

C am br ia

Co un ty

Visitor Center

C ou nt y

North

0 2 41 Miles

Altoona

Vinco

Johnstown

Nanty-Glo

Hollidaysburg

Ebensburg

Loretto

Lilly

St. Michael- Sidman

Spring Hill

Gallitzin

Portage

Beaverdale -Lloydell

Roaring Spring

Salix-Beauty Line Park

Vintondale Sankertown

Newry

Description

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site is in southwestern Pennsylvania in Blair and Cambria counties. The park protects the cultural resources that comprise the Allegheny Portage Railroad and tells the story of its influence on the nation. The park consists of two separate units extending across 40 miles. The main park unit is at the summit of the original portage, roughly 3 miles east of the town of Cresson and includes the visitor center, Lemon House, Incline 6 and Level 6, the Engine House 6 ruins and exhibit shelter, and Skew Arch Bridge. The park’s Staple Bend Tunnel unit is approximately 16 miles southwest of the main unit and features the first railroad tunnel in the United States.

The Allegheny Portage Railroad section of the Pennsylvania Mainline Canal system played a vital role in the nation’s industrial development in the early 19th century. The portage railroad operated between 1834 and 1854 and was the most complex segment in the Mainline Canal system that connected Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. It was at this segment that the canal was blocked by the Allegheny Mountains. The portage railroad was the solution to this massive obstacle. It covered

36.6 miles and rose nearly 1,400 feet when it was completed.

The railroad was equipped with 10 inclined planes, 5 on each side of the mountain. As canal boats arrived at the portage railroad, they were removed from the water and placed on rail cars. The rail cars were pulled up and lowered down the mountain by hemp, and later wire ropes, along tracks set on the inclined planes. The ropes were pulled by stationary steam engines in the engine house at the head of each incline. Each inclined plane was separated from the next by a level. The rail cars were pulled along the levels first by horse power and later by steam locomotives.

The portage railroad provided the critical link in the flow of goods, materials, and people between the Atlantic coast and the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. The portage railroad was also a major advancement in the nation’s transportation infrastructure symbolizing its growing industrial prowess. The trade that occurred via the portage railroad and Mainline Canal created lasting bonds between the northeast and frontier west, which continued through the Civil War.

The Allegheny Portage Railroad has been designated a national historic landmark and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It has also been designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Contact Information For more information about the Johnstown Flood National Memorial Foundation Document, contact: http://www.nps.gov/jofl or (814) 893-6322 or write to:

Superintendent, Western Pennsylvania Parks, Flight 93 National Memorial, P.O. Box 911, Shanksville, PA 15560

Foundation Document Overview Johnstown Flood National Memorial Pennsylvania

NatioNal Park Service • U.S. DePartmeNt of the iNterior

Significance statements express why Johnstown Flood National Memorial resources and values are important enough to merit national park unit designation. Statements of significance describe why an area is important within a global, national, regional, and systemwide context. These statements are linked to the purpose of the park unit, and are supported by data, research, and consensus. Significance statements describe the distinctive nature of the park and inform management decisions, focusing efforts on preserving and protecting the most important resources and values of the park unit.

• At least 2,209 men, women, and children were killed along the 15-mile path of the Johnstown flood by drowning, burning, and crushing.

• A complex web of factors led to the failure of the South Fork Dam and can be traced to the social and environmental dimensions of the Industrial Revolution.

• The recovery efforts following the flood established The American Red Cross as the premier entity for disaster relief.

The actions of The American Red Cross—in combination with the homegrown actions and contributions from private citizens and the Pittsburgh Citizen’s Relief Committee— became the model for disaster recovery.

• As a result of attempts to assign responsibility for the Johnstown flood, major changes in U.S. laws were made to allow industry to be held liable for damage and loss of life.

SignificancePurpose

JOHNSTOWN FLOOD NATIONAL

MEMORIAL commemorates the tragic Johnstown flood of May 31, 1889.

Other Important Resources & Values

Interpretive Themes

Fundamental resources and values are those features, systems, processes, experiences, stories, scenes, sounds, smells, or other attributes determined to merit primary consideration during planning and management processes because they are essential to achieving the purpose of the park and maintaining its significance.

• South Fork Dam ruins. The abutments and sluiceways that are the remaining ruins of the South Fork Dam, the control tower foundation ruins, and the historic carriage road that traversed the abutment and continued upslope.

• The dry bed of Lake Conemaugh. The land below the 1,600-foot contour of the lake, including the South Fork Little Conemaugh River, wetlands, and vegetated slopes.

• South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club Historic District.

The South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club clubhouse, annex, and cottages.

• Unger Farm. The Unger House, the visitor center, the springhouse ruins, and the fields and the orchard on the hillside above the South Fork Dam.

• Morgue book. Doctor David J. Beale’s master list of the deceased, describing the condition of the remains and everything that was found associated with the person.

• Sense of loss. Visitors should have the opportunity to feel and understand the magnitude of the loss of life and the scope of the disaster.

• [redacted]

• Johnstown Flood National Memorial museum collection. Historical objects and archival collections focused on the Johnstown Flood of 1889, including the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club, and systematic archeological collections from within park boundaries and associated records.

Johnstown Flood National Memorial may contain other resources and values that may not be fundamental to the purpose and significance of the park, but are important to consider in management and planning decisions. These are referred to as other important resources and values.

• [redacted]

• Clubhouse artifacts. The George Hetzel painting, the wine cabinet, and glasses from the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club.

Fundamental Resources and Values

Interpretive themes are often described as the key stories or concepts that visitors should understand after visiting a park—they define the most important ideas or concepts communicated to visitors about a park unit. Themes are derived from, and should reflect, park purpose, significance, resources, and values. The set of interpretive themes is complete when it provides the structure necessary for park staff to develop opportunities for visitors to explore and relate to all of the park significances and fundamental resources and values.

• A complex interplay of environmental, social, and economic factors set the stage for the failure of the South Fork Dam and the Johnstown flood of 1889.

• The failure of the South Fork Dam caused catastrophic destruction and death and revealed unforgettable acts of sacrifice, heroism, and negligence.

• The local, national, and international response to the Johnstown flood of 1889 resulted in unprecedented news coverage and broad-based relief efforts, and its popular legacy lives on as a transforming moment in American life.

Sandy R un

Jen nings R d

Lin co ln St

Br idge

St

Main St

Pi ne

S t

Pa les tin e R d Bl ac kb er ry

D r

D avidson St

Sta tio n S t

Fox Dr

H ar le y

St

Wate rdam Rd

Mark et

St

Park Ave

Fra nkli n St W ashington St

Rib bo n

Ln

Frankstown Rd

Pr om ise Ln

Amsite Rd

Ra ge rs Hill

Rd

Frankstown Rd

Lake Rd

Legend

Visitor Center

Highway

State & County Road

Local Road

Railroad

Stream/River

Waterbody

Park Boundary

South Fork Little Conemaugh River

Picnic A rea R d So ut h A bu tm en t R d

Lake Road

Norfolk Southern Railway

Johnstown Flood National Memorial

0 500 1,000250 Feet

Visitor Center

North

L ibe rty Par k

Norfolk Southern

Railw ay

Johnstown Flood National Memorial is in Cambria County in southwestern Pennsylvania, about 10 miles northeast of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The 178-acre park preserves the remains of the South Fork Dam and portions of the former Lake Conemaugh bed, as well as historic structures associated with the Johnstown flood. The resources are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Interpretation of the park focuses on the precursors and aftermath of the failure of the South Fork Dam, which caused the flood on May 31, 1889.

The South Fork Dam was originally constructed in the South Fork of the Little Conemaugh River between 1839 and 1853 as a water source for the Pennsylvania Mainline Canal, which became obsolete a year after completion of the dam. The dam fell into disrepair before it was eventually bought by the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club. The dam was restored in 1881 and turned into a lake stocked with black bass to serve the club’s resort.

Members of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club were the wealthy industrialists, bankers, and lawyers who had profited from the Industrial Revolution, including Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and Andrew Mellon. Residents of Johnstown, on the other hand, were mainly blue collar workers in the iron and steel factories along the Little Conemaugh and Conemaugh rivers. Johnstown had been strategically settled to exploit these resources and their location, despite the fact that the town was prone to flooding because of the general climate of the area and the town’s location in the valley. The town’s founders took a gamble in deciding that the proximity of natural resources outweighed the threat of serious flooding.

On the morning of May 31, 1889, Colonel Elias Unger, president of the corporation that maintained the dam and resort, noticed that the level of Lake Conemaugh had risen considerably during the night. Over the next five hours, Unger coordinated the attempts to prevent flooding through the digging of spillways and heightening the top of the dam, and the simultaneous efforts to warn the residents of Johnstown of the possibility of the flood. The last telegraph famously warned “The dam is becoming dangerous and may possibly go!”—yet, none of the warnings were heeded.

The South Fork Dam failed at 3:15 p.m. The sheer volume of water and size of the flood wave was magnified as it coursed its way down a steep, narrow valley, culminating in swift devastation of villages and towns in its path. By the time the flood hit Johnstown, the water was teeming with debris from houses, trees, railcars, and even a local barbed wire factory.

When darkness fell, the debris piled up at the stone bridge on the Conemaugh River and caught fire, burning alive as many as 80 people trapped inside the rubble. Once the floodwaters had receded, the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Reverend Dr. David J. Beale, catalogued the remains of the townspeople and documented the death toll at 2,209 people.

The disaster occurred as the nation was recovering from the social and economic losses of the Civil War, and news of the catastrophic event dominated the country for a considerable time. Newspaper coverage, photographs, songs, literature, and art sprang from a national fixation with the destructive event.

The classic conflict of man versus nature was debated, and to some degree, the tragedy was deepened by the idea that it could possibly have been prevented.

National news coverage, relief efforts initiated by Clara Barton and her fledgling Red Cross, and the sheer will of survivors resulted in the successful efforts to rebuild Johnstown. A lasting impact on the nation was the assistance the Red Cross provided in the relief effort, the first national disaster unrelated to war.

Today, the visitor center for Johnstown Flood National Memorial is a replica of the Unger barn, sitting on the hillside overlooking the remnants of the South Fork Dam. The South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club’s clubhouse and some of its cottages are also managed by the National Park Service.

Description