Radovan Camp: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

Region 11 Park Cultural Landscapes Program

Inventory Unit Description: The Radovan Camp component landscape is located on the left bank of Glacier Creek, within the boundaries of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Glacier Creek is fed by several large glaciers and is a tributary of the Chitistone river, which drains into the Nizina river, which drains into the Chitina River, which drains into the Copper River, which drains into the Gulf of Alaska. The inventory unit boundary is represented by an irregular polygon encompassing an area of approximately 2.3 acres. The site boundaries include all known historic sites and relevant landscape characteristics within the camp associated with mineral exploration and development in the Glacier Creek drainage, and with Martin Radovan, a locally known prospector. Circulation features of the landscape include numerous road traces, the remains of a hand tram across Glacier Creek, and several foot-trail traces, leading to Martin’s prospects in Radovan Gulch. The historic site represents a period of significance from Martin’s arrival in 1929 to Martin’s departure from the camp in 1974, representing nearly 40 years of continual use. The landscape is significant under Criterion A, for its contributions to the broad trends of history, and under Criterion B for its association with Martin Radovan, a locally known prospector in the region. It is of local significance, and its area of significance is exploration/settlement. Criterion Consideration G also applies, as its period of significance extends well beyond the 50 year mark to 1974, when Martin Radovan finally left Glacier Creek to live with relatives in Delano, CA. The landscape satisfies the criteria for its property type as detailed in “Historic Properties Associated with Mineral Development in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska, 1898-1942”, a multiple property nomination to the National Register of Historic Places (Bleakley, 2000). The site’s buildings, structures and objects together represent a mining related landscape that spans over four decades of historic activity. The landscape maintains integrity of location, design, workmanship, materials, feeling, association and setting. Radovan Camp is a component landscape of the Glacier Creek parent landscape.

Radovan Camp: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

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