Independence: The Creation of a National Park
Greiff CM. 1985. Independence: The Creation of a National Park. Heritage Studies, Inc
The history of recent events is a salutary reminder of how much of the past is lost when only a written record remains. Documents may establish what happened, but are less reliable for explaining why and how it happened. This is especially the case since the use of long-distance telephoning has become convenient and relatively inexpensive. At Independence, it is almost startling to note how the flow of correspondence and memoranda lessened after installation of the Federal Telephone System in the early 1960s. It is therefore fortunate that it was possible to write this report soon after the fact, and not just on the basis of the written word, but with access to the thoughts and memories of many of the participants. Some of these were recorded during oral history projects in 1969-1970 and 1976-1977. Others were shared with me during a series of interviews conducted as part of the research for this book.