May 1999 Fact Sheet

Preservation: Mineral King Mandate
Part One




The Implementation of National Preservation Laws

After years of struggle to achieve national recognition as a historic community, Mineral King advocates now must work for its preservation.  While Mineral King is unique in many ways, that preservation will be founded in working National Park Service practices and preservation laws.

NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT OF 1966

PURPOSES OF PUBLIC LAW 89-665 AS AMENDED THROUGH 1992:
  • The historical and cultural foundations of the nation should be preserved as a living part of our community life and development in order to give a sense of orientation to the American People.
  • It is necessary and appropriate for the Federal Government to accelerate its historic preservation programs and activities, to give maximum encouragement to agencies and individuals undertaking preservation by private means.
The Mineral King Mandate:
  • Mineral King must be preserved as a living part of our historic community life and development.
  • Its place in preserving the historic landscape through private agencies and individuals must be given maximum encouragement.

 

DECLARATION OF POLICY OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT:

It shall be the policy of the Federal Government, in cooperation with other nations and in partnership with the states, local government, Indian tribes and private organizations and individuals to:

  • Foster conditions under which our modern society and our prehistoric resources can exist in productive harmony and fulfill the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations.
  • Administration federally owned, administered, or controlled prehistoric and historic resources in a spirit of stewardship for the inspiration and benefit of present and future generations.
  • Contribute to the preservation of non federally owned prehistoric and historic resources and give maximum encouragement to organizations and individuals undertaking preservation by private means.
  • Encourage the public and private preservation and utilization of all usable elements of the Nation's historic building environment.
The Mineral King Mandate:
  • Mineral King must be preserved as an important example of how our modern society with its demands for park recreational usage and our prehistoric and historic resources can exist in productive harmony.
  • The Park Service, as a federal agency, must work to administer its historic Mineral King resources in a spirit of stewardship.
  • It must contribute to the non federally owned Mineral King cabins and give maximum encouragement to the Mineral King organizations and individuals undertaking preservation of the structures by their own private means.

  • It must encourage both public and private preservation and utilization of the cabins as part of our nation's historic building environment.
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    FEDERAL AGENCIES' RESPONSIBILITY TO PRESERVE AND USE HISTORIC BUILDINGS:
    • Properties under the jurisdiction or control of (each federal) agency as are listed in or may be eligible for the National Register are managed and maintained in a way that considers the preservation of their historic, archaeological, architectural, and cultural values.
    • That the preservation of properties not under the jurisdiction or control of the agency, but subject to be potentially affected by agency actions are given full consideration in planning.
    • That the agency's preservation-related activities are carried out in consultation with other Federal, State, and local agencies, Indian tribes...and with the private sector.
    The Mineral King Mandate:
    • The Mineral King Historic Road Corridor, including its cabin community which has been determined eligible for the National Register by the Park Service must be managed and maintained in a way that considers the preservation of its historic, archaeological, architectural and cultural values.
    • The preservation of the cabins which are privately owned but are subject to being potentially affected by Park Service actions must be given full consideration in all Sequoia National Park planning.
    • Any of the Park's preservation related activities must be carried out not only in consultation with other federal, state and local agencies, but also with the private sector.  This must include consultation with the private owners of the Mineral King cabins.


     

    ADMINISTRATION:

    The Secretary (of Interior) may:

    • Enter into contracts or make cooperation agreements with any federal or state agency, any educational or scientific organization, or any institution, corporation, association, or qualified individual.
    • Obtain the services of experts and consultants or organizations thereof.
    • Establish and implement alternatives for historic properties, including adaptive use, that are not needed for current or projected agency purposes and may lease a historic property owned by the agency to any person or organization, or exchange any property owned by the agency with comparable historic property, if the agency head determines that the lease or exchange will adequately ensure the preservation of the historic property.
    The Mineral King Mandate:
    • The Park Service may continue to lease the land on which the Mineral King cabins rest to any person or organization that will adequately ensure the preservation of the historic property.
    • A leasing agreement can be entered into legally with community members and/or community organizations to ensure the adequate preservation of the Mineral King historic landscape.

    Increasingly, such cooperation agreements are becoming a basic component of National Park Service management practices.

    See also, PRESERVATION: THE MINERAL KING MANDATE: Part Two (Jun '99) and Part Three (Jul '99)

    www.MineralKing.org - The Preservation of Mineral King - last updated 07/09/99
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