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Letter of response to Gettysburg NMP Section 106 Case Report
David L. Taylor, President, Preservation Pennsylvania

January 8, 1999

Dr. John A. Latschar
Superintendent
Gettysburg National Military Park
Gettysburg, PA 17325

Dear Dr. Latschar:

Thank you for your letter of December 11, 1998 and the accompanying material on the Section 106 review of the Cyclorama Building. Preservation Pennsylvania, as a designated interested party in the Section 106 process, is pleased to have the opportunity to comment on the assessment made by your agency.

Having reviewed the material provided, Preservation Pennsylvania continues to believe that the future of the Cyclorama Building and its relationship to the Cyclorama painting deserve a full and unbiased study of alternatives to demolition, which we do not feel has occurred to date. In addition to the alternatives proposed by the National Park Service, we suggest that an outside, independent entity be brought in to assess how the painting might be conserved within the existing building. Among the issues that should be addressed in this study are how to correct identified problems with the HVAC system and the settling of the building. We believe this information is important if the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation is to be provided with all the alternatives to be weighed in determining the outcome of the Section 106 process. Preservation Pennsylvania stands ready to be of assistance in providing suggestions on possible independent consultants to undertake such a study.

Because the fate of the Cyclorama Building may be seen as a crossroads for the National Park Service, with significant implications for future decisions at other NPS facilities, we would also suggest that the National Park Service consider convening a national forum on Mission 66, its legacy, and the clearly complex preservation issues at this and other NPS sites.

We look forward to continuing to be part of this process and to participating in the on-site meeting with the Advisory Council, the SHPO, and other interested parties to review and discuss these and other comments received on the disposition of the Cyclorama Building.

Sincerely,

/s/

David L. Taylor

President

cc:
Martha Catlin, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
Brent Glass, Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Officer
Janet Klein, Chair, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
Brenda Barrett, Bureau for Historic Preservation
David Morrison, AIA Pennsylvania

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