I know this is a bit off topic, but I'm currently working on ahistory of
preservation policy within the Army between 1933 and 1966 [stop that
laughing].  It appears that the only formal policy during this period
stemmed from passage of the Reservoir Salvage Act in 1960, which I
believe led to formation of the Inter-Agency Archaeological Salvage
Program.  Most of the work associated with this legislation involved
river basin surveys, and apparently was largely prehistoric in nature.
Nevertheless, the effort seems to have been an important precursor to the
National Historic Preservation Act and its federal preservation regulations.
 
Can anyone point me to some source material on the Reservoir Salvage Act
that might help me place it within the context of the Army's preservation
policy.  I'm interested in the big picture, rather than site reports, etc.
 
Thanks in advance.
 
Patrick O'Bannon
[log in to unmask]
 
 
 
Pat, although I am not an Archaeologist, I am intently intersted in the Civil
War.  The Army had a big part in establishing the Conservation Camps of the
1930's commly known as the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) which was
responsible for begining the restoration of the Chancslorsville and the
Wildnerness Battlefields.  I also think they played a part in starting the
restoration at Gettysburg.  Although civilians were used as the applied labor
rather than the Army, many of these camps were run by Army officers who imposed
a military environment.