General Management Plan

This document examines three alternatives for managing Harpers Ferry National Historical Park for the next 20 years. It also analyzes the impacts of implementing each of the alternatives. The “no-action” alternative (alternative 1), continues existing NPS management and trends and serves as a basis for comparison in evaluating the other alternatives. In Alternative 2 Harpers Ferry National Historical Park would present 250 years of history at the site through exhibits at a new visitor center that provides an orientation to the site and encourages visitors to explore areas of the park that illustrate themes in park history. The park would be more easily accessible by round-the-park trail and an expanded transportation system that reaches most park locales in West Virginia. Park staff would bring life to the park by scheduling more festivals, events, and tours, and increasing the visibility of national historical park staff. Park offices would remain on Camp Hill in historic structures and a satellite maintenance facility would be constructed somewhere near the Murphy Farm or Schoolhouse Ridge to obviate the need for enlarging the existing facility. A public/private consortium would be sought to rehabilitate the historic Shipley School. In Alternative 3, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park would become a gateway to the West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia region as well as the park through a cooperative visitor center complex at Cavalier Heights. Through the use of partners and concessioners the park would increase its ability to bring life and activity to all areas of the park. This partnership would allow additional interpretation, preservation of additional historic resources, and maintenance of facilities as well as a seamless transportation system that serves both the park and the local community. A round-the-park trail would also connect the park to the regional trail system. A new headquarters building and maintenance facility would be constructed outside Camp Hill to allow restoration of the historic structures for interpretive purposes and the landscape to the Storer College period. The Shipley School would be removed and the site landscaped.

General Management Plan

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