|
Roswell Web Magazine - the Web Magazine that Showcases Roswell & New Mexico
The Fort Stanton Development Commission was formed to seek ways and means
of preserving and historically restoring the Fort, while keeping intact its
original integrity and historical significance to be shared with future
generations. It was created as a seven-member Commission by the State
Legislature in 2003 and includes three Governor's appointees, the mayor of
Ruidoso, the State Historic Preservation Officer, the Director of State Parks
and the Chair of the Lincoln County Commission.
Ms. Linda Sanchez is vice-chair of this Commission.
She wrote the following as an emailed report to fellow Commission members
and others interested in the preservation of Fort Stanton. Your RWM
editor asked permission, which was granted, to publish it in this Roswell Web
Magazine issue.
FORT STANTON UPDATES
by Lynda Sánchez
Despite a few setbacks, like no money from the
Legislature to either fund the Commission or add to the restoration of
buildings, many positive things have happened in the last several months. Many
more folks, organizations, universities and even corporations have begun to show
interest now that they have been on tours of the Fort or have been informed
about the significance of this incredible site. A
"retreat" in June for the Commission will also hopefully come up with
positive and appropriate ideas, restoration projects and goals. More on that as
it happens.
I. Boots and Saddles
Committee:
Our committee met at Fort Bayard on May 12. We had a wonderful tour given by Ms.
Cecelia Bell for which we are most appreciative. The Fort is a unique site and
we must work hard to keep their preservation projects in mind as we move forward
with the protection and interpretation of the 7-Fort-System.
1.
We re-wrote the brochure on-site, adding and deleting, editing out repetition
and clarifying information. It is always difficult to edit out yet include
everything in such a small space.
2. We
discussed the continued progress of the Foundation and the grants they have
received.
3.
Discussed the MOU [Memorandum of Understanding] and those
who have signed on.
4.
Discussed ideas like a traveling exhibit that could be set up at each fort, and
when not in use, reside at the Camino Real Center.
5. Discussed
possible creation of a joint publication on research and information involving
the forts and battlefields.
6. Coordinate
a Familiarization Tour for folks with different agencies.
7. Complete
the Brochure ASAP.
II. Legislative Finance
Committee (LFC) Meeting (Artesia)
This was one
of the most productive, positive and up-beat meetings I have been to in a long
time. It was due not only to the topic of Veterans Affairs, but to the
organization of the issues, the presentations by John Garcia, Cabinet Secretary
for Veterans' Affairs and his staff, and the hope of what this will bring as a Cornerstone for Preservation at the
Fort. The LFC members were attentive, they noted that they rarely allow for a
four-hour presentation of any one agency, and few left the room. I can only
salute this kind of positive leadership!
The Fort Stanton presentation lasted about a half-hour. I represented the Fort
Stanton Commission and spoke briefly about our support of the Cemetery/Admin.
Building restoration project. Mr. John Jarrard, architect, presented plans,
historical photos; he was supplemented by others. Senator Tim Jennings was
pleased and asked about oral histories being included in the museum, or
somewhere, of the Veterans who may wish to impart their stories, or just info in
general about all the history of the individuals involved.
This went
along with Mr. Garcia's comments that he is working on a special "Veterans'
Legacy" project in conjunction with the State Archives and that he plans to
ask the Legislature for $500,000 for this project. Several others suggested that
they needed to request
$6,000.000 for a Trust Fund to maintain the site. This was an
unexpected plus. Even if that total is not obtained, Mr. Garcia and all of us
were extremely pleased that the LFC suggested such an idea. Many legislators
were very concerned about the lack of knowledge that our young people have
regarding history and our heritage in general.
The majority
of the members noted the special quality of the Fort as a gem and of great
historical significance.
There was
considerable discussion of rural economic development with such a site as the
Fort.
Other issues
were discussed, including a $32,000,000 hospital that will be built at Fort
Bayard.
The hoped-for
deadlines of construction/renovation and expansion of the Fort Stanton cemetery
are: Ground Breaking this (2006) fall; Move In fall of 2007.
III. Stables Restoration
Plan, Phase I
Within the
last several months, another great happening, showing how a good private
partnership can be formed for the good of the Fort, involves the Stable's
Restoration.
Cornerstones Community Partnership, Eco-Servants (Sierra
Blanca Service Corps) and the Lincoln County Historical Society are moving
forward on this project. While it would have been better to begin work on the
quadrangle, because of CiviGenics still being on-site, with its privacy issues,
etc., it was felt that beginning with a peripheral area would be better. The Stables, especially the inner walls, are
beginning to rapidly deteriorate.
A SHPO (State
Historic Preservation Office) grant for $7,500 to begin
Phase I was awarded in January. Additional funding may be coming from part of
the $150,000 that the Lincoln County Historical Society requested during Capital
Outlay hearings in January. Dr. Bill Taylor, Director of Property Control, and
Ms. Kak Slick, State Historic Preservation Officer, have worked with us to utilize some of that funding for the design
and plan for the stables/dairy area. Dr. Ritch obtained some great historic
photos that will aid the architectural intern who will arrive in June. Mr. Pat
Taylor and Jean Fulton from Cornerstones are spear-heading the project. You have
heard me speak of Cornerstones and their many success stories before. Looking at
their plan for their latest $2,000,000 Socorro project is impressive and
exemplary in every way in terms of planning and executing their plan. I hope
they will come soon and give a presentation to our Commission.
A $2,400
grant notice was just received from Otero County Electric to
indicate their continuing support of the various archaeology projects at the
Fort. They also assisted the previous archaeological survey with grants during
'04 and '05. Additionally, Otero County Electric Co-Op has indicated an interest in
the old electric building or possibly down the road adopting a room on-site.
This grant money will be given to Cornerstones for continued archaeological
research at the site.
On May 12,
SHPO met with all parties and had a walk-through. I was at Fort Bayard, but
reports from that meeting that I received were positive and up-beat.
Everyone is
excited about this project and the good PR we will be getting from the project
cannot be exaggerated. Several individuals have stepped up to the plate offering
supplies and assistance in terms of labor. Ted Allen and his youth group, along
with Steve Carter, Exec. Director of Eco-Servants, have signed a contract with
the state via state via Tom Stewart, who was incredibly helpful, so we are covered in
terms of insurance, have a lease now, and work can begin in earnest.
IV. Howard
University/National Park Service/BLM/Mescalero/other Partnership:
As you are
aware, Howard University is the most prestigious university for Black students in the nation; it is headquartered in Washington DC. For
the last three years, Dr. Eleanor King, Mr. Charles Haecker of the National Park
Service and Mescalero students and elders have been working on a summer Buffalo
Soldiers' field school project in the Guadalupes (Guadalupe Mountain National
Park). They are finishing this summer.
Dr. King,
along with Mr. Haecker (remember he is the one who spear-headed our recon-survey
that has been so successful at the Fort); BLM Mike Bilbo and Paul Happel; Mr.
Steve Carter from Eco-Servants; myself; Mr. James Sanchez; Joe Arcure, our
archaeology project photographer and Mr. Chris Adams from the US Forest Service
participated in a grand tour of Fort Stanton Cave, and the quadrangle along with
several other sites on BLM land to introduce Dr. King to the area. We walked
(and crawled) into the cave for over a mile and noted many signatures carved
into the walls, some dating to 1861 and 1864. We also passed close to the famed
Snowy River Complex, but could not enter that area.
Needless to
say, Dr. King was amazed at this reservoir of information, the vastness of the
site, the special features including not only history and archaeology, but
geology and architecture. Living in Washington, she recognized many
architectural features of common interest on the quadrangle and after an all-day
stay, was already planning for the future.
The
following day they went to Mescalero to discuss a partnership or the continuing
partnership with the tribe. Ms. Holly Houghton, tribal SHPO, was
consulted.
Dr. King and
Charles Haecker believe this could be expanded easily into a multi-faceted,
multi-year, multi-cultural project. They are already at work on grants and we
hope to hear more as the year progresses.
This can only
be good news and is definitely one of the main goals we hope to address at the
Fort, that of university participation, along with youth and elders of all ages
working together. Such a vision can be expanded in many directions.
It was agreed
at our May 20 Commission meeting that we would support her endeavors to obtain
grants with letters of support, or any other assistance that can be given.
I am excited
about this new dimension at the Fort.
The museum
run by Ft. Stanton Inc. re-opened in April for the summer season.
That is about
it for now. You can see that many, many things have already happened with a lot
of public support. Let us hope that we continue in this positive direction.
/s/ Lynda
p.s. In the last few months,
Special Tours have been given to several special individuals. We have also toured the
old cavalry cemetery on two occasions. (Mr. John Buffington, Director of
CiviGenics Program on the Quadrangle, and I have worked in partnership on these
tours. He will no longer be the director as of the end of May. I have so
appreciated his assistance.)
Those Who Received Special Tours
included:
Stuart Ashman, Cabinet
Secretary for Cultural Affairs; Dr. Eleanor King, Dept. Anthropology and
Archaeology, Howard University; Restoration Crew from St. Joseph's Apache
Mission Project; Color Guard/Honor Guard from Holloman Air Force Base,
Alamogordo NM; Pat Taylor, Cornerstones Community Partnership; Jean Fulton,
Cornerstones Community Partnership; Don Dutton, Gaming Commission and interested
party related to the history and purpose of the Fort; John
Garcia and entourage from Veterans' Department office; Pam Kushmaul, tribal
attorney, Mescalero Apache Tribe (short tour); Dr. David Kirkpatrick,
Archaeologist and Educational Outreach for Human Systems Research, Las Cruces;
Chris Adams, US Forest Service Archaeologist, Alamogordo.
Also visit:
|
