Scope of Collection Statement Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site

This Scope of Collection Statement for Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site (EUON) serves as a guide in the acquisition of museum objects which support the park's mission and contribute to the understanding and interpretation of the park's resources and interpretive themes. Eugene O'Neill NHS preserves Tao House, the home of the noted playwright, Eugene O’Neill, from 1937 to 1944. O'Neill and his wife Carlotta Monterey O’Neill chose this serene landscape in rural California for the peace and quiet it afforded. The house, as well as the surrounding grounds and buildings they custom built, was a personal statement. From the Taoism inspired courtyard to the Oriental theater masks hung above the staircase, Tao House was reminiscent of a stage setting. It was here O’Neill wrote his last five plays, among them his autobiographical masterpieces: The Iceman Cometh, A Long Day's Journey into Night, and A Moon for the Misbegotten. O'Neill's designation as America's foremost playwright is also reflected in his four Pulitzer Prizes and his 1936 honor as the first and only American playwright, to date, to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. The restoration of Tao House, its outbuildings and the historic landscape, all contribute to an understanding of the playwright, his work and his place in the history of American theater. The designation of Eugene O'Neill NHS as a performing arts park strives to continue the playwright's legacy by fostering artistic expression through performance, research and education. The National Park Service acquired title to the 13.19 acre site in 1979. That year a cooperative agreement stipulated that the NPS was responsible for restoration and operation of the site and public interpretive programming while the Eugene O'Neill Foundation was granted the responsibility to coordinate artistic programs. When the National Park Service took possession of Tao House in 1980 there were only a handful of original O'Neill objects onsite. When the O' Neill’s sold Tao House in 1944 they also sold most of their furnishings. A significant portion of these were Chinese antiques which were sold back to Gumps in San Francisco. Unfortunately, all of Gumps' resale records were lost in a fire and the locations of these O'Neill pieces remain unknown. Other O'Neill furnishings were sold to local individuals. The O' Neills took some special furnishings and artifacts with them back to the East Coast and placed them in storage. Of these, some were bequeathed to family members and educational institutions, sold at auction, deteriorated in storage or disappeared. The museum collection was established in 1980 with the first accession of artifacts collected during an archeological survey of the site. The Eugene O’Neill Foundation, also occupying the site, developed a collection before the NPS to facilitate tours and public drama performances. The Foundation loaned artifacts and documents to the park for study and interpretation before the EUON collection was established. The O’Neill Foundation continues to provide docents and host events through a cooperative agreement with EUON. They maintain a separate collection and library which is stored on- site in the New Barn.

Scope of Collection Statement Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site

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