Independence Mine State Historical Park Preservation Plan

Alaska Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation, Department of Natural Resources

Executive summary: "Located in the scenic Hatcher Pass region in the Matanuska Susitna Borough, Independence Mine was one of the largest producing lode gold mines in Alaska. The property was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and became a state historical park in 1980. It is a popular destination for both local residents and visitors to the state due to the combination of heritage tourism, outdoor recreation opportunities, and outstanding natural beauty. In 2010, the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation (ADPOR) decided to prepare a historic preservation plan for Independence Mine State Historical Park (IMSHP) to provide base line information to effectively manage and sustain the cultural resources and to guide future development and enhancement of the park for visitors. The planning process involved discussing and sharing ideas with park managers, industry professionals, and interested public during public meetings and comment periods. The Independence Mine State Historical Park Preservation Plan is a framework for management, interpretation, and historic property rehabilitation and use. It provides information on the historic character of the park and past preservation efforts and includes an inventory of resources. The study captures current conditions and outlines preservation priorities, evaluates use options, education and outreach opportunities, and supplies an implementation plan. To fully grasp the recommendations made in this plan, it is essential to understand the documented current conditions in Chapter 5 that provide rationale for the all action strategies. A summary of the identified recommendations includes: Preservation strategies for structures and artifacts Year-round visitor services Enhanced personal interpretation Adaptive use for park structures" Project funding was provided in part by a 2011 Historic Preservation Fund grant administered by the Alaska State Historic Preservation Office (project number AK-11-020, grant number 02-11-31908) and the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Independence Mine State Historical Park Preservation Plan

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