Alternative 2:
National Historic Trail
CONCEPT AND PHILOSOPHY
This alternative would provide for national recognition of Route 66 as a national
historic trail unit of the national trails system. The purpose of a national historic
trail is to preserve significant resources, interpret the route's history. and provide
opportunities to retrace the route and promote outdoor recreation. A national historic
trail (NHT) is dependent on a partnership between the federal government to administer the
program and grassroots organizations, agencies, and individuals, including private
landowners, for the day-to-day management.
A number of specific requirements must be met before this alternative can be fully
addressed (see appendix B). Federal legislation and appropriations are needed to authorize
a national historic trail. However, before legislation can be enacted, a recommendation
must pass the National Park System Advisory Board. Although this study is not intended as
a NHT feasibility study, it meets most of the legislated requirements and could serve as
one.
Route 66 as a national historic trail would provide focus on important resources along
the route and emphasize the links between them. Managing Route 66 as a national historic
trail would require defining the historic period of the highway. Resources not considered
as part of the historic period would not be included as potentially certifiable sites or
segments. The Route 66 national historic trail would extend along the entire route from
Chicago to Los Angeles.
This alternative would provide a comprehensive vision for the grassroots presentation
and interpretation of Route 66 while maintaining federal standards. As in the first
alternative, the emphasis would be centered more on resource preservation and
interpretation than visitor experience and the spirit of Route 66.
MANAGEMENT
A national historic trail requires grassroots support of a common, overall vision for
trail management that would be developed in a comprehensive management and use plan.
Cooperative agreements between other federal, state, and local agencies, grassroots
organizations, private landowners, and the administering federal agency would be the
primary mechanisms used for protecting resources and providing for appropriate public use.
Federal land acquisition authority on national historic trails would be dependent on
Congress and would have to be addressed in enabling legislation. Normally, national
historic trail land acquisition is limited to willing sellers and willing buyers and is
used only as a last resort to protect important resources. Preferably, in keeping with the
spirit of the National Trails System Act, grassroots managers would obtain interests in
resources through agreements or acquisition of rights.
The National Trails System Act would require the full involvement of the federal agency
in marking, preservation, and interpretive efforts.
The federal agency in charge of administering a Route 66 national historic trail would
develop a comprehensive management and use plan designed to guide concerted actions along
the whole trail. This plan would be developed to standards adopted by that agency and
through a process involving extensive public involvement and input.
The federal agency would attempt to establish partnerships with state and local
agencies, groups, and individuals who would have the option of seeking official NHT
certification for qualifying sites and road segments. Certification would be based on
mutual good faith agreement that would voluntarily commit the parties to preserving the
resources and providing for public use. The agreement would be renewable and could be
terminated by either party at any time. Certification would also entail making sites and
segments with an official NHT logo. The creation of a single nonfederal coordinating
organization to facilitate the federal/nonfederal partnerships would be desirable. While
no federal funds would be expended in the day-to-day operation or maintenance of
participating sites, other incentives would be provided. Limited federal financial
assistance would be available to certified trail sites on a cost-share basis for
appropriate preservation or development projects. Technical assistance from the
administering federal agency would be available to the participating sites. The National
Park Service or administrating agency would help develop specific management,
interpretation, or preservation plans for those areas.
Although it is possible to speculate on the types of resources that could be certified,
it is not currently possible to identify and quantify specific participating sites and the
groups or individuals responsible for managing them.
RESOURCE TREATMENT
Only federally owned sites and segments and certified sites would be included in
national historic trail-administered protection programs. As a historic trail, the entire
route would be uniformly marked and signed.
The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for
Rehabilitating Historic Buildings (1983) would be used for resource protection, and the
entire road and associated resources would be evaluated for the National Register of
Historic Places. Only those sites with important ties to the major themes of the highway
would be included in the certification program. Sites not meeting historic standards would
not be certified. There would be no reconstruction of historic resources.
In order to maintain certified status, site owners would voluntarily agree not to
modify their property without consultation and concurrence by the federal administrating
agency and the state historic preservation officer. Owners would retain all legal rights
on their property. Certified sites would also be subject to compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, and other resource
compliance laws.
VISITOR EXPERIENCE AND INTERPRETATION
This alternative would provide an auto tour route between Chicago and Los Angeles. The
NHT sign program would make finding the route much easier for travelers than it is at
present. While only one principal alignment would be marked, other segments and associated
resources would be accessible for the more adventurous visitors.
Designated interpretive themes would be explored in structured programs at
participating sites. These themes would be coordinated over the whole route, and would be
used in thematically consistent and widely available professional interpretive media.
Brochures, maps, videos, guide books, and cassettes would be produced for distribution at
the participating sites.
IMPLICATIONS
A number of implications stem from the establishment of a national historic trail.
Grassroots initiatives and continued interest and support are crucial. Problems could
arise because federal incentives and support would go to historic businesses but not to
newer enterprises. Additionally, programs and resources managed by groups not related to
the trail may exist side-by-side with certified NHT sites. This could confuse visitors.
Federal legislation is needed to authorize a national historic trail. Before
legislation can be enacted, a recommendation for a trail must pass the National Park
Service System Advisory Board.
There are also a number of implications specific to Route 66 as a national historic
trail. A prime consideration is the traditional focus of such trail. Currently, all
national historic trails do not allow motorized vehicles. They have ceased to evolve, and
Route 66 does not easily fit into the NHT mold. The continuing evolution of resources
along Route 66 would probably erode the sustainability of the NHT purpose. A national
historic trail would not have the authority to direct the route's evolution and would
merely try to influence it. The continuing use of the route probably would generate
overwhelming demands for it to serve larger societal needs. Route 66 may not be as
desirable for inclusion in the NHT program as the existing, non evolving trails.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
Designation of the Route 66 National Historic Trail by Congress would be required. Once
the trail is designated the administering agency would prepare a comprehensive management
plan for the trail. Cooperative agreements would have to be established with the public
and private partners identified in the plan.
Reprinted from:
Special Resource Study Route 66
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service (See Credits)
NPS D-4 July 1995.
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